Dragon's Lore
by Gumdrop Boo
Summary: Selendrile does lie, or rather omits very important information. A subtle danger is growing closer, and Alys can only speculate to what it might be. It seems girls with revenge in their hearts are very prone to have dragons approach them.
1. Dragon Lore

A/N: --- This is just a test chapter I wrote because I had the urge to try and develop on 'Dragon's Bait' since it has been one of my favorite stories since I was in junior high. I say 'test chapter' because I want to see if it gets any feedback. I already have two stories I need to finish, so if I don't see much response I will put it on hold (But I will continue it, granted it will be awhile) until I finish my other two. If it does get a lot of response, then I will consider developing it further for readers and put a hold on one of my other stories. Happy reading, and if you enjoy it, please take the time to say so for your benefit. : )

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Credit report:

•I don't own any characters that Vivian Vande Velde has created.

•I have to give credit to the Elder Scrolls IV PC computer game for using the idea of the 'Imperial City' mentioned in this fic.

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They arrived in Tierbo as the first snow fell. Of course they could have gotten there sooner but Selendrile insisted walking was better for them, and on stopping everyday, and often going in the wrong direction. It was almost as if he was trying to delay their arrival to the port city. He left Alys in a secluded place—more often than not--while he flew off somewhere most of the time. He usually stayed out late, and then returned at the crack of dawn to rouse her, only to repeat the cycle again. It had been months since Alys had seen other humans.

Alys breathed in the cold air and sighed. Selendrile gave her a look. She knew he thought that she sighed too much. Just to get the point across that she was relieved to be in society again, she sighed once more. She wasn't happy that he disappeared for hours at a time, and it wasn't like she could ask him what he did and where he went or even why he was doing it. He had a knack for avoiding personal questions. She should have left him by now--at least that is what she kept telling herself--as she sat in caves or farmhouses, drawing pictures in the dust with stick. Bored to death.

"Tierbo," she said and saw her breath hit the air.

He didn't say anything. Only his eyes moved, glancing at the buildings and the harbor, considering them.

"Should we find an inn?" Alys asked.

He nodded. She spotted a hanging wooden sign with a moon and stars on it, signaling it was there for a passerby looking for a bed. It was called _Lighthouse Keep Inn. _It was a fancier inn than Alys had ever seen. Didn't seem a place to come across drunks or cutthroats with its white wash paint or brass door handles. Alys was wearing a velvet dress that Selendrile had dropped off one morning, so she looked like she could belong in a higher-class inn. Selendrile could pass for decent--he was wearing gray trousers with boots, a white linen shirt, vest and a long gray jacket. If the lady of the inn saw him, she might even let him stay for free. All she needed to see was his perfect face and golden hair.

"Do you have enough money?" Alys whispered.

He glanced down at her with a brow raised as if to say _Of course, you moron. I always plan ahead._

Alys found that she was beginning to miss his voice. There was something in it that caused her excitement and to feel better about life when she heard him speak. Perhaps it was just fey magic, and that was how Selendrile could trick so many people into believing he was human. That or they didn't care if he seemed abnormal as long as he was charming.

They entered the front room of the inn. A boy was just lighting the chandelier candles. Alys tilted her head back to see the decorative light affixation. It looked carved out of elk antlers. It must have been expensive since elk lived far away from Tierbo.

"May I help you younglings?" a lady in a blue silk dress asked – probably the owner or owner's wife.

She wasn't old but she wasn't as young as Alys or as young as Selendrile seemed.

"My wife and I need a room for the night," Selendrile answered stepping further into the room to secure a deal for a bedroom.

Alys felt her skin prickle. She hadn't heard the dragon-youth talk for what seemed a lifetime. Also, it was the first time they had stayed at an inn since Griswold. It never occurred to her they would have to share an inn again, and especially under the guise of a married couple. Her hair had grown back enough to braid it, and there was a certain anatomy on her that had grown significantly so she could no longer pass as a twelve-year-old boy.

_He has to sleep on the floor, _she thought with a frown.

"I have a nice big room for twenty gold if you'd like it," the lady offered.

Alys was prepared to walk out and find the cheaper inn in Tierbo. There was no way they could afford a twenty gold room. They weren't shipping merchants.

"Sounds lovely, we'll take it," he dictated Alys's presumptions. Just how much gold did he carry? "Come on love, you must be tired." He held out his arm and motioned Alys to move out of the front room.

"If you don't mind me saying, dinner will be served in a few moments if you and your lady want to eat," the lady of the inn added after examining the gold Selendrile had given her.

"I'm not that hungry. Are you?" Selendrile inquired. He sounded tired although she knew he didn't eat people food and he probably just wanted to sleep.

Actually, Alys was famished. She nodded and the lady led her to the inn's dining room. Several guests were sitting at the tables--four to a table. Selendrile followed. Alys presumed he nothing better to do. They sat at a table that a woman was occupying already.

Selendrile did nothing to initiate conversation. Alys had enough silence for the past few months, so she asked the lady's name.

"Lianna," the woman replied. She was a pretty young woman—in her mid twenties—but she Alys found it odd she was alone.

"Are you traveling alone?"

"No, I'm in company with men of the court. I'm a scholar from the capital, and work for the palace," she smiled and took a sip of water from her cup.

"The Imperial City? That's far away," Alys noted. She remembered seeing cartography of the country in the church back in St. Toby's. St. Toby's was in the far northwest while the capital was near the center. Tierbo was exactly west but even farther than the Imperial City.

"Yes, I know. I'm glad I got to get out though, see the country you know? There is some breathtaking scenery out here in the west."

Alys was used to it, maybe she'd have to try and appreciate the hills more.

"What manner of men from the court are here?" Selendrile cut in. Alys thought it was odd to ask such a question, and why did he even care?

"The Queen's knights," she smiled, also confused at his abrupt question. Both women saw him tense somewhat. Liana laughed lightheartedly, "Don't worry, they are my friends. I don't think there is any trouble afoot. Although Sir Fayden mentioned that him and his men were on a quest. He was rather secretive about it. Then again it's not _my_ business what they're searching for. I just provide them with dragon lore."

Alys looked to Selendrile. His eyes were narrowed at the woman. Alys didn't understand why, she was amused he was even paying attention. Dinner was served then. It was chicken with a side of asparagus. It was delicious, and Alys made sure to savor every bite. Selendrile kept his eyes on the woman. Alys almost felt jealous. He had paid less attention to Alys the whole time they had traveled together after St. Toby's.

"What kind of dragon lore?" Alys asked once they were in a suitable place to continue dinner conversation.

"The myths of old. Before the church, there were pagan religions that worshipped fey. They paid sacrifices and such. In fact, a lot of he old ruins designed as fey altars are still standing. A rich part of history although the church wants them all found and burned."

"Do you know anything about their eating habits?" Alys wondered.

Lianna gave her a good once-over and then chuckled, "Dragons only ate raw meat, you know, fresh-from-the-kill-meat."

To Alys's surprise, Selendrile suddenly took a bite of her asparagus. He grimaced as he chewed. Both women looked at him curiously.

"I was hungry after all," he said, though Alys could tell he was lying. His grimace was proof. Now that she knew he only liked fresh meat--she definitely knew he was having a hard time enjoying asparagus.

"Anyway, the church twisted that into one reason to why dragons were evil and spawns of Hell. People could keep their livestock and not worry about paying tribute any longer." Lianna finished the lore of dragons' eating habits.

" You speak of them as though they are all dead," Selendrile spoke in a cold tone.

"Well yes, dragons haven't been sighted since before the dark ages. It is assumed that humans have killed them all. Except…" she trailed off looked into nothing.

"Except what?" Alys asked, seeing Selendrile's eyebrows rise uncertainly at the woman.

"I forgot," she laughed lightly and focused back to Alys.

"How many dragons were there?" Alys further inquired. She should have asked Selendrile since he _was_ a dragon. It was quite sad that she had to ask a stranger to answer all her burning questions.

"You know what? Since you have taken such an interest in the subject, I could show you my dragon lore book from the Imperial City university libraries after we finish dinner. How would you like that?" Lianna beamed at Alys.

Alys looked at Selendrile once more. His handsome face was frowning ever so slightly at the idea. Alys wanted to talk--she wanted to know more about the very fey she was traveling with--so against Selendrile's subtle disparagement, she agreed.

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As soon as their dishes were removed--before Selendrile could outwardly protest her decision--Alys jumped up and followed Lianna to her room. Alys hadn't gotten to see the rooms yet but Lianna's was dressed luxuriously. She hoped she had a big feather bed in her room like Lianna did.

"There were many dragons my dear. After the church was established however, men were encouraged to fight and kill the poor beasts. Their body parts were magical, very useful for ailments and long lasting beauty," Lianna chattered on as she dug through her belongings for the dragon lore book. Alys thought of Selendrile's beauty, and could see how someone could use a part of him to extend their beauty, that is if they killed him. No one would ever harm him though! Only Atherton--and what happened to him proved that no one harmed Selendrile and lived.

"Even their eyes were rumored to be true jewels," she sounded impressed. Alys was reminded of her companion's athemyst eyes. They were actual jewels? How was it that she only noticed? Lianna must not of suspected Selendrile--probably because he ate the asparagus.

"Ah hah!" Lianna said. She hauled a black, leather-bound, tome out of her pack. "I'm afraid it's a bit heavy. Scholars are all the same. Right from the beginning of time they write, write, write. Recording history is a time consuming job." She dropped the book into Alys's lap.

She made an '_oof!_' sound and after a moment of getting used to the weight, unlatched the book and opened it. Lianna stood behind her to see her reaction.

There ware illustrations of dragons, all of different colors. Alys brushed her fingers over the images, expecting to feel scales since they were drawn so realistically.

"Those are the magnificent seven," Lianna explained, taking Alys's silence for confusion.

"Why are they magnificent?"

"In dragon lore, they held significant power. Think of it as the dragon council if you will. They were separate; each had their own fey altar. They each had names, and you can see that as you read the different chapters. You see, four represented an earth element, and then the other three represented a celestial element," she pointed at each dragon. They had symbols next to them. She spotted a vine, a droplet of water, a flame, and a depiction of the wind blowing--also a crescent moon, a star, and the sun.

"Is there anything in here about dragons transforming into different creatures?" Alys asked suddenly. She should have kicked herself--she could have given Selendrile away.

Lianna shook her head, "No such thing has been recorded about it. Why?"

Alys sighed, "I was just thinking that would have been neat. You know, dragons walking around as humans and blending in without us knowing. Maybe that could have been a reason they all disappeared--they all are disguised as humans." She mentally slapped herself for almost giving him away again.

Lianna gave Alys a suspicious look but smiled, "That _would_ be something."

Alys should have been going to bed. Then again she didn't want to walk into a room where Selendrile would be glaring at her all night. She turned the pages and saw an image of a fine, golden dragon with a mane and astonishing purple eyes--amethyst eyes. Her breath caught and she touched the drawing gently, "Selendrile."

"You already know some lore yourself?" Lianna sounded impressed again.

Alys looked up at her puzzled-like. Lianna turned the book to its next page where a new chapter began. It was titled:

'_The Prince of Dragons'_

After initial confusion, and after reading the first sentence, a small bit of shock pricked her mind. Selendrile was a dragon prince? Another part of her laughed at the concept. Why would a dragon prince spend time with the likes of her? Alys thumbed the chapter, discovering it was a hefty portion of the book. She wanted to read it all, but it was already too late.

"Selendrile was the golden dragon, according to the pagan beliefs that scholars began to record. They described him smaller than the magnificent seven, and we at the university speculate it was because the Prince of Dragons was younger," Lianna said and a thoughtful look appeared on her face. "Oh! _That_ was what I was saying earlier!"

Alys regarded the woman with a confused expression.

"Earlier at dinner, your lord mentioned that I spoke of dragons as if they were all dead but however rumors have escalated in the north about a golden dragon. A small village by the mountains was recently attacked by what the claim to have been a dragon. My entourage of Queen's knights stopped in the area to investigate and my dear, there were many signs that a dragon had been present!"

Alys throat went dry. Lianna was talking about St. Toby's--there was no other town in the north that was attacked by Selendrile.

"What did the people say?"

"Most concluded that the reason the dragon attacked was because a witch ordered it to," Lianna laughed, like it was the most absurd thing she ever heard.

"You don't believe them?"

"Witches don't exist. They are simply a fabrication of the church to persecute young, intelligent women. It especially is commonly accepted in rural, superstitious areas of our country. However, in the Imperial City, if one was accused of being a witch, people would simply mock the accuser for being simple," Lianna explained.

Alys suddenly wished she had been raised in the capital. She rather enjoyed the company of the lady scholar, Lianna. Not to mention she would never have been put through a traumatizing experience. Then again, she would have never met Selendrile if she hadn't been accused of being a witch.

"It would be so lovely to continue chatting with you about dragon lore but I'm afraid I must get some rest," Lianna stretched her arms and yawned.

"Would you mind terribly if I borrowed this for a day?" Alys asked. Lianna smiled kindly and allowed her, but warned her that she might be leaving by noon and would have liked to have it back by then.

Alys thanked her new acquaintance and found her room. It was dark when she entered. She called out Selendrile's name but there was no answer. She shuffled around the room and felt a pile of clothes. She called out his name again. If his clothes were off, then he was naked. She had seen the dragon youth naked before but still thought it indecent he did it so nonchalantly. There was no evidence he was in the room at the moment. She took off her velvet dress and stumbled her way to the bed to crawl in, deciding he would eventually have to come back for his clothes. A nagging thought entered her mind before she went to sleep however. He could have left his clothes with intentions of never coming back. She had learned about dragon lore from Lianna despite his obvious facial objections. What if that sent him away? Alys blinked a couple times, trying to get the nagging out of her head. Her thoughts only shifted toward her father, which was worse. She couldn't help but to tear whenever she thought of him. She'd seen him die and the image of him falling would never leave her head as long as she lived.

Alys pulled the covers up and over her head to muffle her crying sounds, and eventually fell asleep.

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"I'm surprised at how accurate this book is," a husky male's voice--her favorite voice--interrupted Alys's sleep.

Alys gingerly opened her eyes, sunlight was pouring through the window, and it took a moment for her to see Selendrile--sitting beside her--with the dragon lore book in his hands.

"Is it?" she yawned.

"Haven't you read it already?" he asked.

"I was intending to today."

"I never slaughtered half of Prition. They died by the plague," He sniffed and handed the book over.

"What?"

"Just so you know," he insisted, without bothering to answer her question.

"All right your _highness_," Alys took the book.

His purple eyes were suddenly daggers, "You said you hadn't read it yet."

"Only the first sentence of the chapter about the golden dragon. Are you really the prince of all dragons?" she fell back from his stare, clutching the book to her chest.

He didn't answer. She guessed by his unwillingness to confirm or deny, that it was true.

She had a feeling something big was going to happen soon. It had to do with Selendrile, or even the men of the Queen that were in town. Selendrile had led them to Tierbo and Alys suspected there was a reason behind it. He had been gone all night, and not to find raw meat like most times he was absent. If he turned into a dragon while in a city, there would definitely be gossip flying around. So far Alys hadn't heard a word about a dragon in Tierbo. Granted she had just woken up but she had a feeling Lianna would burst through the door to tell her about it, if he had. What had he been doing all night?

Selendrile sighed for once, which told Alys there really was more happening than she could fathom. All he said was: "The magnificent seven are coming."


	2. Dragon of the Shining Sun

_Dragon's Lore: The Magnificent Seven: Chapter XIV: Prologue_

_Moshire—the dragon of the sun can save or burn cities. A flash of brass will prelude its coming._

_The dragon glares through eyes of topaz, charming and cunning_

_If thou offer and pray, thou will be rewarded. If thou do not offer, and still pray, ye will be sent running. _

_The sunlight is its savor. _

_Thou dance upon the alter and be in favor._

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_Eons ago…_

When Varisca entered back into consciousness, the first thing she became aware of was the smell of burning. Her head hurt, and was damp with snow. She slowly sat up—touched her head gently—winced. Ashes swirled around her in the cold gusts of wind, contrasting vividly against the blanket of white snow and pale moonlight. There was pain on her chest, she reached down and found a gash--sealed by her own frozen blood—just underneath her collarbone. What on Earth had happened?

Turning her head she saw her home—or what was left of it. Heated embers still were simmering a faint orange under the charred wood. Then, she gasped, horrified—not because her home was destroyed—but because images of what had occurred came rushing into her memory.

The day Varisca's family died started out like any other. Her younger brother, Cabo woke up early to collect eggs from the chicken coop. The chickens were her family's only livelihood. She wore tattered cloth wrapped around her feet because they had no money for shoes. It was especially cold on that winter morning, and snow flurries rubbed her face raw as she tried to collect snow to melt for water, leaving her unprotected hands burning cold. Her family of four—including her—lived out in the country. It was a good day's walk from Prition, the city that was closest east to the capital. Although word had spread that Prition was rampant with sickness.

_I might as well be in the city, _she thought as she shivered through snowdrifts. As soon as she entered her little shack of a home, she dropped the bucket of snow and tried to warm herself by the fire. The fire was always kept small and in control, because if it grew out of hand, would burn the entire shack. Her father must have been out chopping wood because her mother was the only person in the home.

"Put the snow over the fire, dear," her mother reminded her. She was chopping barley and potatoes. It was the only food they had.

Varisca did so, although she found it hard to grab with numbed fingers.

By mid morning, the cowardly sun had decided to grace the world with its presence. The sun made Varisca yearn for spring. In the spring, she would weave flowers into her hair and dance around the fey alter of Moshire. Moshire was coincidentally, the dragon of the shining sun. She had never seen the dragon before, but knew in her heart it existed. Every season her family would offer a chicken at the alter. Every season, their chickens would lie plenty of eggs. Everyone thought that the chicken sacrifices to Moshire brought about the eggs-of-plenty, but that winter season there were hardly any eggs to collect.

Cabo returned with a downcast face.

"Any eggs dear?" their mother asked.

"One," he sighed.

Varisca and her mother looked at him, utterly shocked.

"But—there are twenty chickens!!" Varisca cried.

"It's not _my_ fault the featherbrains ain't layin'" Cabo reminded her.

Their mother bit her lip and a look of worry crossed her face, "Don't argue. I guess your father will just have to chop one. Maybe that will teach them a lesson."

Varisca hated it when her father chopped the chickens—they would run around a few moments after without their heads. When she thought about it though, it seemed an awful long time since she saw a chopped chicken. That reminded her…

"Mama, when was the last time father chopped a chicken?" she asked.

"I believe midsummer," her mother answered, without thinking.

Varisca gasped, "You mean, we didn't offer to Moshire in the autumn, and not this winter either?!"

"Oh do stop worrying, my child. We couldn't give up a chicken last season, you

know that. We just can't afford it anymore."

"But—but—but what will happen if we stop?"

"Nothing. Have you ever even seen the brass dragon, Moshire? No. Only the crazy beggar in Prition claims to have seen it…and he's _crazy_!"

"Our chickens have always laid many eggs after we pay tribute, and Cabo has been collecting fewer these past months," she tried to explain.

"Yes, there has been less but that is because there is hardly any food and it's terribly cold. Any of that can affect the chickens' cycles. Now hush, not another word about it. Come set the table." Her mother had the last word.

Varisca did not agree with her mother's words but did as she was told. The barley and potato stew came off the fire hot—but after a few seconds, the cold air reduced it to luke-warm.

"I don't like barley," Cabo made a face.

"Hush! You must learn not to be picky. You're not the countess," their father laughed.

Varisca agreed after taking a look at her brother's skeletal form. Food was reduced to even smaller portions in the winter. The boy needed to eat.

"Of course I ain't the countess--I'm a boy!" Cabo sassed. Cabo was a witty boy, and they laughed at his reply.

Before they ate, their father prayed to the fey for a quick winter and good health.

Seconds after they enjoyed their first bite, a loud noise—like a bird of prey—sounded above them, outside.

All of them froze in their seats, but not because of the bitter cold engulfing them.

"Papa?" Cabo whispered—eyes on the ceiling—not moving a muscle.

Their mother reached out and grabbed their father's hand. The noise sounded again.

"It's the dragon," Varisca said with certainty.

"What are we going to do?" their mother asked. She had a voice on the edge of panic.

"Don't move," their father replied. They all looked at the ceiling. The dragon wasn't on the roof, but it was definitely in the air above the shack. A heavy '_whoosh'_ sound was taken for its wings flapping in the space above their pathetic shelter. It stopped, and there was silence.

"What are we—?"

"_Don't_ move."

More silence. Just when their father relaxed a small bit, the roof was ripped off—sent flying across the hill—landing yards away.

All of them started yelling and screaming as they saw their reflections in a pair of glaring, topaz eyes. Moshire.

The dragon barked out another angry roar, sending a breath of flame into the fireplace. The fire flared up—no longer the tiny, warming blaze—but a raging inferno.

Varisca and her family scattered as the shack burned. Moshire reared and its brass scales gleamed in what light was left from the setting sun. Varisca had never seen anything so amazing or deadly in her life. She ran in the opposite direction in that which her family had fled. She ended up leaving the firestorm, by diving into a snowdrift. She heard her family's screams—they were trapped—paralyzed with fear, between the toppled wooden walls!

She cried out, and desperately tried to reach them—to help them escape.

The dragon started to flap its wings, apparently satisfied with the family's punishment for not keeping up with its seasonal sacrifice. The under current the wings caused, blasted Varisca away from her them. As she tried to stand once more—the dragon's tail of spikes backlashed into her body—knocking her unconscious and into the ground. Her family burned.

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She wanted to forget. It was so cold. She felt dead, but cursed to walk the endless white hills for always. Her tears froze midway down her cheeks as she put one numb leg in front of the other, walking to nowhere—just away from the horror. Had to get away from it. It had been a few hours of walking when she decided she did not feel like living any longer. She was much too frozen and heartbroken and in pain to care. In the pre-dawn light, there seemed to be a tower, standing a mile or so from where she was. Whether it was real or a wintry, post-traumatic mirage, she didn't know.

_I'll just bury myself in a snowdrift by the tower,_ she thought. She got close enough to touch the outer stone walls, but wasn't curious enough to see if it was real. All she wanted to do was die. As fate might have it, the tower was real and home to a mage who resided in it for the fur-trapping months. He came across the blue-lipped, barely alive, sixteen-year-old girl in the snow by his doorstep on his way out to check his traps. He was taken quite unexpected by her, but carried her in nonetheless because her body was in shock from severe hypothermia. Unfortunately for Varisca, her plan to freeze to death was thwarted once the mage carefully used restoration magic to bring her body to a normal temperature again.

She only remembered bits and pieces of the days she was recovering—almost like it was a dream—easily lost from the mind upon waking. She remembered the mage, near to her and hearing him cite odd words and phrases. He asked her name, she mumbled: "Varisca."

"I am Luthor."

Eventually Varisca stopped streaming awake between dreaming and woke up for good. She knew she was alive but her memory of what had happened after she settled in the snowdrift to die was still fuzzy and interrupted.

She was on a bed, snuggled into all manners of fur. She was warm—stretching her arms from beneath the blankets, she found herself to be naked.

"Awake for real this time, love?" the mage asked. She pulled the furs closer and looked up—he was standing on a balcony above her.

"Am I dead?" she asked—just in case.

The mage chuckled, "Hardly."

Varisca sighed with disappointment.

"If you wanted to die, then the best thing would be to do it where no one will find you. Example: don't collapse in front of a tower."

"I thought it was a bloody illusion," Varisca snapped. So she had failed at dying—what now? Try again or accept it as a sign she was supposed to live?

"Why do I not have clothes on?"

"Do you honestly want those rags back? They were dirty, and wet with snow. You're warm and clean now."

She _was_ clean. Did he give her a bath? She put that odd and puzzling question aside to argue her clothes back. "I can't very well walk around naked. It's cold. Besides, I am supposed to be dead. Why did you keep me alive?"

"I'm a mage of restoration, it's what I do. You can't very well walk around now, because your body is still weak. I doubt your legs would hold you." He lectured. "You c_ould_ very well walk around naked, for the female figure is beautiful and you have quite a remarkable one that was hidden under all that filth. However I won't be attracted, because well, you are _female_. As for clothes, I have some items that will fit you if you get chilled."

Varisca understood at once that the mage was the sort of person to fancy his own gender, which wasn't unusual in pagan society. His remark about her figure answered her question about bathing her. She did not remember being washed or cleansed in a tub of water, so she still was baffled at how the mage accomplished it.

She intended to pull herself up to rest on her elbows but once she tried, a pain seared through her chest. She looked down and saw white gauze, bandaged to her torso.

"What happened to me?"

"I was hoping you could tell me," Luthor descended the stairs from the balcony and approached her. She could see all of him then. Luthor—seemed to Varisca—not as old as her father, but could have been one. He was wearing robes colored blue, and had brown hair long enough to pull together in the back of his head. It hung loose though. He had a clear, sincere face.

Varisca couldn't honestly remember what had happened. She had suppressed the memory somewhere in between almost freezing to death and then recovering. She shook her head, unable to recall.

The mage—Luthor—gave her a searching glance before deciding she was being honest.

"Well whatever you have encountered left you with a fractured shoulder, small puncture wounds in your torso and a deep gash under your collarbone. The fracture and small wounds were easy to heal, however the gash will leave a rather interesting scar."

"Why?"

"I couldn't get the gash to heal. I am a master of restoration magic, so any injury should be able to mend under my power." He said. He hoped she would understand what he meant by that statement but she merely looked bewildered. "Regular scars in human tissue tend to take shape along the wound's path. Your wound is irregular because it won't heal by me, so I can only conclude that it is fey-inflicted."

"So why will it scar different?"

"Fey wounds scar into the symbol of the particular fey that caused it—that is if you don't die first. It is rare to meet someone with a fey-scar because if fey have quarrels, they usually do more than cause wounds." He explained. He had an uneasy look about him. "So I'll ask one more time: can you remember anything that happened to you?"

The mention of fey gave Varisca a visual memory. Glittering coins—millions of them—but her family was poor. Maybe what she saw weren't coins, just coin-sized. She grazed the fey wound with her fingers and closed her eyes. She remembered spikes coming at her, catching her chest in one hard blow. The brass coins she remembered were scales.

Her eyes snapped open, "Dragon."

Luthor looked doubtful.

"Moshire," the name was said in an angry hiss.

"What could you have possibly done to attract the wrath of Moshire?"

"I do not know. We didn't…" she spoke, remembering the death of her loved ones, "We did not offer a seasonal tribute."

"That wouldn't provoke a dragon to attack you," Luthor said most assuredly.

She wanted to snap at him—ask him why he was so positive that it wasn't possible—but held her tongue. He was a mage, and it wouldn't do any good to argue with him. She considered his words however. So why did the dragon end her family and not her? She escaped death by fire, ice, and blood. The screams of her family echoed in her memory and her heart darkened.

She decided then that she would stay alive. She would destroy not only the dragon of the sun, but all its family as well—all of dragon kind.

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Thanks to the four people who reviewed! This chapter was especially for them. : )


	3. Dragon Questions

Selendrile was horribly vague about things, and Alys for the most part, had accepted it. He would say something and then nothing more—expecting her to know or understand but whenever she asked about it he looked at her like she was the most ignorant person he had ever met. Eventually she gave up and went along with his words, but not that time.

"They're still alive?"

Selendrile looked at her like she was the most ignorant person he'd ever met, just as she suspected, but she didn't feel foolish about it.

"Yes," was all the explanation he gave her.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No."

"Then why are you concerned?"

He looked at her hard, "They are coming for _me_."

"How do you know?" Alys asked. In fact, she had a lot more questions—hundreds of them to ask but he would only get annoyed.

"Ask your friend."

Alys didn't see how Lianna had anything to with it. She was merely a scholar that was well versed in dragon lore.

She got out of bed and dressed. Selendrile wouldn't leave so she made him turn around. She saw he was always amused at her privacy issues. In the summer, when they were traveling across the land, Alys would bathe in ponds, rivers, or lakes. However it was very difficult to bathe when the dragon-youth was at the shore or bank, usually laying leisurely on the ground and grinning in that dragon of his. Anytime that happened, she turned her back to him and went to the deepest part of the water—until she was on her tiptoes even—and tried her best to ignore him. If he hadn't moved by the time her fingers pruned she screamed at him. Selendrile did not like to be screamed at. He claimed she hurt is ears, which she doubted because he was constantly reminding her how she could _never_ hurt him because he was so strong and clever.

Alys grabbed the book of Dragon Lore and intended to return it to Lianna. She would also ask the scholar about the possibility of why, if ever, any of the magnificent seven would seek the prince of dragons. She would have to speak carefully though in order not to arouse any suspicion.

Alys knocked on Lianna's door. There was no answer or indication that Lianna was within. Alys knocked again, just in case. Since Lianna did not respond, Alys went back to her room.

"What time is it?"

"Ten-thirty," Selendrile answered. He was still sitting in the chair, pondering whatever it was that dragons pondered about. To Alys guess, he was thinking of the magnificent seven.

An odd sensation pricked all over Alys's body. Lianna had said she would be leaving at noon, if anytime that day. It was not noon yet by an hour and a half. Alys rushed to the foyer of the inn. The lady of the inn, from the night before was there.

"Has Miss Lianna left already?" Alys put the book on a table because it was heavy.

"Lianna?"

"Yes. She was traveling with the queen's knights."

"Her? Oh my, it was very odd. My cleaners opened her room this morning when she didn't answer to their knocking and she was gone. All of her belongings were missing too. It seems she had to leave early, but she paid for the full night up until noon today. I never saw her leave and I was up at six o' clock!" The lady of the inn told her.

Alys pursed her lips and frowned in confusion. Why on Earth would Lianna leave so soon and without her book? She specifically told Alys to bring it back to her.

Pursing her lips together and frowning didn't solve anything so Alys picked up the book and once again went back to her room.

"She's gone," she said as soon as she stepped in the room.

"Isn't that _her_ book?" Selendrile pointed.

Alys's stomach grumbled in response, which was no answer at all.

She nodded. "I'll keep it for her in case she comes looking for it later."

Selendrile uncrossed his long legs and stood up. "Let's go."

"Where?"

"You're stomach made a noise. That means you need nourishment, from what I've experienced.

He must have meant the times when Alys whined that she needed to eat. Selendrile would always bring her food, but it was paced many hours apart and Alys wanted to eat in between. She would always say, 'My stomach is growling!'

Selendrile had a different opinion of what a 'growl' was, and to him stomachs never 'growled.'

They emerged into the port city. The snow had piled up three inches since the night before. Alys's stockings were soaked in five steps.

"How come drag—?" She began to ask a question but Selendrile grabbed her by the shawl wrapped around her and jerked her close to muffle the question. To any townsperson passing, they looked like a lovely couple, snuggling with each other in the cold. The wool of Selendrile's vest scratched and tickled her nose. He smelled like damp meadow grass even in the winter.

Selendrile waited for a moment until most people had passed. Alys knew better than to try and struggle out of his grasp. He pulled away but still had a hold of her shawl.

He leaned his head in close and whispered, "Do _not_ speak of dragons in public. This is not an empty countryside like you've been used to for the past few months. We don't need anybody to suspect us."

He let her go, and she stumbled a little. He wasn't angry but kept a deeply concerned frown on his brow. She didn't understand why he was worried. He could change right then and fly away, or kill everybody if he wanted to. He wasn't that malicious though. Selendrile only killed for food and for revenge…or so Alys had observed.

They entered a bakery and Alys bought a muffin as a late breakfast. They walked through Tierbo together until they spotted the knights. There were about thirty men. Selendrile's form went rigid. He ate a knight once, so why did he look ready to bolt as soon as they saw him?

"Go back to the inn," Alys told him and skipped toward the group of knights.

"Alys!" he shouted.

That drew a few of the knights' attention. Before they could find out who had shouted, Alys asked, "Have any of you gentlemen seen Lianna the scholar today?"

The knights focused back on their doings, but one remained focused on Alys. "No. She is at the inn."

They looked busy. They were all surrounding the Harbor Master's office but Alys was too short to see what was inside. The knight briskly turned around to continue whatever it was he was doing before.

"Excuse me sir, but she is _not_ at the inn. She is gone, that is why I asked you," Alys said a little bit louder.

More knights paid attention to her now. "What is this you say?"

"She's not at the inn. All her belongings are gone and so is she. Have any of you seen her?"

Mumblings of 'Lianna is gone?' and 'Where could she have gone?' went through the group.

A horrible feeling hit Alys then. The knights didn't even know where she went or why she had left. In the midst of the knights' discussion about Lianna, Alys slipped away without being questioned. She walked hurriedly back to the inn.

She heard footsteps behind her, a soft crunching in the snow. She pretended not to notice she was being followed.

"I saw her," a voice rasped.

Alys whirled around, "Who?"

The speaker was a beggar woman. She looked like she was freezing. She wore only a single layer of rags.

"The scholarly lady. She was running through the alley early this morning with her pack. She was wild eyed, and was muttering."

Lianna wasn't mad was she? Alys didn't think a mad person to be a scholar.

"Do you know which way she went?"

"She was running east, but I didn't see her leave the city gates."

"Well thank you for telling me," Alys pondered where on Earth Lianna had run off to and then noticed the beggar woman shivering. "Here, take my shawl as thanks."

The woman smiled and accepted. Alys's arms immediately acquired gooseflesh from the biting cold. She ran back to the inn.

When inside, the cold melted away from her skin but soon crawled with chill again because the knights were already there! They were searching for Lianna no doubt.

Alys avoided their glances and went upstairs to find her companion.

He wasn't however, in the room.

She stomped her foot, frustrated at him for not following her directions. He _never_ did as he was told. A mouse startled her, by crawling out of a small hole in the wall. She thought nothing of it but then saw the mouse scamper to the middle of the room. That's when she reasoned the inn was too good to have a mouse infestation, and she saw Selendrile's clothes in a pile on the bed. He didn't even give her time to turn around before he changed into a human. The light from the window illuminated his well-defined body.

"We must leave, now," he said calmly, but with an urgent tone that made Alys not ask any questions. He grabbed his clothes and dressed.

"Where is your shawl? Your frail human form will freeze," Selendrile gave her a sideways glance.

"Oh, I gave it to a beggar."

Selendrile gave her a look equal to the 'you're the most ignorant person I have ever met' stare.

"Take mine," he took it off and threw it at her. The sleeves were a bit big but the jacket was warm. Alys grabbed the Dragon Lore book. They walked downstairs together, holding hands to present the façade they were married. The knights were still questioning guests about the whereabouts of Lianna.

She felt him tighten his grip as they approached. A knight spotted them, and recognized Lianna's book.

"You there! Miss!" He called before they could get away.

Alys's broke her hand away and turned around with a smile, "Yes?"

"Where did you get that book?"

"From Lianna, she lent it to me last night and I was to return it to her today but she wasn't here."

"I'm afraid that is the property of the Imperial City. You must return it immediately," he made a grab for it but Selendrile caught his arm.

"Do not touch my wife, she will return it to you quickly enough," he said, a subtle threat.

The knight nodded and stepped back, although Selendrile was unarmed and the knight had a steel sword.

Alys couldn't let the book go. It was full of so much information, and she wanted to find Lianna as well.

"Where is Sir Fayden?" she asked. Both Selendrile and the knight's brows rose in surprise.

"Sir Fayden, this lady wishes to speak with you," the knight called. Sir Fayden approached them, a man of muscle, obviously the leader of the group.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Lianna lent this book to me, sir, I think I should keep it for her and take it back to the Imperial City where it belongs," Alys did her best to persuade.

Sir Fayden considered her words, rubbing his beard and mumbling.

"It is, after all only Dragon _Lore_, not any map…" was the only coherent thing Alys heard. "Very well. Take it back to the imperial City for her, we appreciate your help."

She must have looked trustworthy enough which made her feel proud. If only Selendrile trusted her more, then maybe he would let her in on fey secrets. For now she had the book, and the book would tell her more than Selendrile ever would.

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They started off on the east trade road that afternoon. The knights were too involved in their own quest to see that Selendrile was an abnormal human. Then again, no one but Alys seemed to notice how inhuman the dragon-youth was. At least it wasn't snowing any more. If the cold had any impact on Selendrile he didn't show it. They walked along the road.

There were no people around, so Alys decided to talk about dragons.

"Dragons look a little bit like lizards," she began. Selendrile kept his face forward, she wasn't sure if he was paying attention. "I never see lizards in the winter."

"They are cold-blooded," he said.

"Are you cold blooded?"

"You might say that," he replied cryptically.

Alys mulled his answer over in her mind, but couldn't quite understand it. "So, dragons _are _like lizards?"

He finally looked at her, "No."

"If we fly it would be faster," Alys offered.

Selendrile laughed scornfully, "Changing into a dragon for a few minutes is even dangerous, flying would be suicide."

"Why are you afraid of the knights?"

Selendrile stopped walking and whirled on her, "I am _not_ afraid of anything. I am the _prince_ of _dragons_. The only thing concerning about Queen's knights is that they have crossbows and there are many of them. Now if you would please stop badgering me with your moronic questions, we should be coming across an inn before nightfall and I expect to rest peacefully."

"What about—? But you always need to transform before sun—" Alys objected, her voice wobbly—angry and frightened at him all at once—for calling her moronic.

His hand slammed over her mouth and he was scowling, "BE QUIET."

At first she thought he was saying it because he was tired of hearing her talk, but they heard rustling from bushes at the side of the road. His dragon senses were keen, even in human form. He didn't want anyone sneaking up on them and hearing Alys, and they both were weary of traveling people ever since Atherton tricked them the night Selendrile almost died.

No one emerged from the bushes, but a lone wolf leaped out and stared at them with hungry, yellow eyes. Selendrile put himself between the wolf and Alys. The wolf was bold enough to advance and at once, Selendrile's form folded into fur and muscle. The clothes he had been wearing were ripped, but Alys wasn't concerned about dealing with a naked Selendrile once this was over—she was worried for him. Usually animals could sense the fey magic but this wolf was desperate for food. After all it was winter, and food was hard to find.

Selendrile growled, and the wolf echoed it. Alys stepped back slowly, in tiny steps. The yellow-eyed wolf saw this, focused on her, growled and made a leap. Selendrile—in wolf form—jumped and bit the other wolf's neck in mid-air. They were suddenly a snowy ball of fur and teeth. The dusk air was filled with whimpers, growls, howls, and then silence.

Selendrile walked away from the wolf's body with blood on his muzzle. It looked like he had torn the throat out of the other wolf. Alys felt a little bad for the other wolf. It never even had a chance.

Selendrile never transformed back into a human. He approached her, and the only thing keeping her nerves at bay were the comfort of the wolf's familiar, purple eyes. They stared at each other for a few moments. He then started sniffing the ground until his nose hit small leather bag that he had been carrying before he turned to a wolf. He barked at her, beckoning her near. The pouch held the gold from his horde; she picked it up, getting some blood on her fingers from where his nose rubbed. He then threw back his head and howled, and ran into the woods.

Alys didn't know what to think. He ran at a pace she could never follow or was she supposed to follow him at all? Was this it? Had he enough of her company? Or did he think it was simply too dangerous to travel with her? What was even the danger? She didn't understand anything anymore.

"Selendrile!!" she shouted at the woods, feeling like a lost child, all alone.

The pines rustled by the sudden wind. She continued looking to the woods but eventually the sun set, and the air became freezing. She sighed.

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A/N- Sorry if the plot is getting confusing. The second chapter is not part of the dragon lore book, but a story that will involve the main plot eventually. Just to clear any confusion up. Thanks for reading : )


	4. Dragon Encounters

Eventually, Alys started walking along the road again. Eventually, she came across the inn Selendrile had spoke of. It was a decent inn. It only cost her five pieces of gold for a room—gold she wouldn't of had if the wolf-Selendrile hadn't brought it to her attention. She hoped he would come back. Anytime he left, he'd always return. Then again, all the other times he left, there weren't other dragons trying to find him. She didn't even understand if the Magnificent Seven were enemies with the Prince of Dragons or not. He didn't want to be found though. He was also awfully touchy about the knights in Tierbo.

Alys huffed at her thoughts--Selendrile was insufferable at times.

She paid an extra coin to get what was left of the dinner meal. It was tepid stew with a cold roll on the side. She dipped the roll in the stew to soften it up. There weren't many people occupying the inn that night. Some sleepy looking travelers were drinking ale at the counter. Two children—probably the innkeeper's—were shooting marbles in the corner. There was a young man at the table near the fireplace; he was playing cards by himself. A strange feeling came over her when she looked at the back of him. He had dark crimson colored hair to his shoulders and wore a black shirt. Perhaps he sensed she was staring because he turned his head, looked around the room and spotted her. Their eyes connected and Alys's body jerked, causing her elbow to knock the bowl of remaining stew off the table. The strange man had red eyes! The only type of people to have red eyes were Albinos, like the one that traveled through St. Toby's when Alys was ten years old. His name was Rupert and the people thought he was a daemon until Father Joseph explained that he wasn't.

The man with red eyes was not white-skinned though, so he couldn't have been an albino. They sparkled like rubies and if Alys remembered anything from the dragon lore book it was that dragon's had jewel eyes. Rubies. The man at the end of the room was a dragon and Alys saw that he knew that she knew.

How could the people in the room not see? She quickly focused on the spilled stew, which one of the marble children was helping clean up by the order of his father. Alys apologized repeatedly, but her mind was focused on the dragon in the room. She looked up and back to the floor. He was moving towards her. Her hands shook as she gathered pieces of the bowl. He did not look as young as Selendrile seemed. He looked at least twenty.

She saw a hand held out in front of her. She looked up and he was offering help to stand. She took it, although very suspicious. Selendrile never helped her up when she fell down or was on the ground.

"Accident?" he asked. His voice had sleekness to it. She could see him hissing in dragon form.

She couldn't form any words, so she nodded that it was true. She truly did not mean to knock the bowl of stew onto the floor. He helped her stand and she stared into the sparkly red of his eyes. Dragon eyes were beautiful, and hard to look away from and Alys was easily led back to the table the dragon had been at before, in front of the fireplace.

"Who are you?" she asked—the only thing she could think of wanting to know at the moment.

He chuckled, "I might ask you the same thing."

"Why would you want to know who _I_ am?" she was alarmed.

The flames of the fire reflected off of the rubies in his eyes, he said in a careful, soft tone, "You smell of fey. You've spent an amount of time with one, and it's obvious that you know _what _I am."

Alys understood that he was one of the Magnificent Seven. She should have studied the Dragon Lore book to figure out which one was in front of her. Would he know if she lied? She could pretend to be a simple girl. Yes, she could.

She stared at him and smiled in a flirtatious way. "It's obvious you are a _man_. A very handsome man. I honestly knocked my bowl of soup over because I was surprised how charming you appeared. You're funny too! I almost took your joke about fey seriously, but as we all know fey are make-believe."

She giggled and batted her eyelashes at him, trying to be like the girls who flirted with Selendrile when they mistook his dangerous beauty for rugged handsomeness. The dragon widened his eyes suspiciously, smiled and kissed her hand.

"You are a silly lass, but I continue on my journey tomorrow and shall not see you again."

He excused himself and left the room. Alys sighed in relief. Her farce as a simple girl actually worked. She felt a bit of confusion to why Selendrile was so keen to pick up on humans' lies and the ruby-eyed dragon was easily tricked. She wished Selendrile were there so she could ask him.

She decided to go to her room also. She lit a candle and pulled out the Dragon Lore book. The page she opened it to had more scholarly information on the Prince of Dragons. It was funny that there was no record of him changing shape. She'd seen him in multiple forms, maybe he trusted her enough to change in front of. The more she thought about it, she wondered if there was ever another human girl in the history of his existence that he had trusted. She had a feeling it wasn't often that humans were allowed to travel with such creatures—who would want to anyway? Alys was mad enough. She was of age to be wed. She should have been trying to attract the attentions of boys her age—_human_ boys, and not traveling with a dragon.

She sighed and turned the page. It had a picture of two golden dragons, intertwined. The caption read: _The Prince of Dragons and his mate, Sasinna._

Alys stared hard at the picture, unsure of what to feel about Selendrile's so-called _mate_. He never mentioned a 'Sasinna' at any point during their travels. Why?

She accepted that she had too many questions to ask, and they had little chance of being answered. She hadn't the slightest idea when Selendrile would return, if ever at all. Even if he came back, he wouldn't answer all of her questions. She huffed at no one in particular—mostly her own frustrations about dragons—slammed the book, blew out the candle, and went to sleep.

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Alys didn't wake up early. She slept past breakfast. She could feel her stomach growling in her sleep, but was too warm and comfortable to make the effort to wake up.

However, she did wake up—and alarmingly fast—when she noticed she was snuggling into another body. She shot upwards and almost fell out of the bed if not for being trapped in a tangle of sheets.

Selendrile was back! She'd never seen him sleep in human form before. He always went to sleep after she did, and always woke before. Where had he gone? Why was he sleeping in _her_ bed? Granted, it _was_ the only bed in the room. Still, he could have changed into some other manner of being and slept somewhere else.

She giggled when she noticed he looked rather harmless when he was asleep as a human. One of his eyes cracked open and looked at her, but not with annoyance like she had anticipated.

"You're amused?" he inquired tiredly.

She scooted off the bed; sure she wasn't tired anymore before answering. "You left me."

"Only for a while," his eyes were closed again, and he rolled over.

"Why?"

"You saw him. I didn't want to," he answered.

He was speaking of the other dragon.

"He left after I pretended to think he was charming."

Selendrile chuckled, "The Pyrotic clan may be slow to figure things out, but he knew you were pretending."

"What?"

"I left a trail of my scent towards Tierbo so he would follow it, that's why he left."

"What is a Pyrotic clan?" Alys asked, not at all saddened that she didn't actually outsmart a dragon.

He didn't answer. So she tried another question. "Where is Sasinna?"

He rolled over and glared at her, "Sasinna is dead."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know," she felt sad for him all of a sudden. She had lost a loved one recently. The pain would never quite leave.

"How do you even—? I mean why would you ask such a—?" he was flustered, and sat up with intense purple eyes.

"It was in the book!" Alys squeaked, not quite sure of what to make of his new emotion. He never let himself become flustered—she wasn't sure if he was capable of being flustered.

Selendrile grabbed it from the side table and flipped through it. He stopped on the page that Alys had looked at the night before. An unnamable look set in his face when he looked at the page. Longing? Loss? She couldn't decipher it.

"Why won't you tell me what is going on?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" he said, not looking at her but flipping through the book.

"You keep disappearing. You don't explain if these Magnificent Seven are friend or foe. Hell, you don't _explain_ anything! EVER!" She found herself angry with him, and her fists were balled. She wouldn't be able to much damage with them anyway.

"Why should I explain myself to you?" he sniffed. She could have punched him she was so frustrated. She took a deep breath and sat next to him.

"Because I saved your life once, and if anything bad is going to happen, I need to be ready to do so again. You are all that I have."

She felt close to tears. The thought of him disappearing again but permanently worried her sick. Through the blurry rims of her eyes, she could see him half-smile.


	5. Dragon Scholar

_Then…_

Lianna had thought three years would be enough for the Count of Wendburry to forget her. He had been attracted to her intelligence and beauty, a rarity among women. Beautiful girls were often simple but Lianna was not. It did not concern the count that she was already wed. The count always received what he desired.

The day Lianna heard that her husband was dead started out like any other.

She started to bake bread at six thirty in the morning. She liked the smell of the dough, and the feel of it between her fingers while she kneaded it. The servants of her home built the fire in the large cooking oven with hardly any yawns. Her husband, Joronis was supposed to return that afternoon from a trading expedition. She bristled with anticipation. She twirled about happily all day, in the foolish manner of a love-sick schoolgirl. The servants always noted how happy Lianna was on those days Joronis returned.

Afternoon passed on without any sign of her husband, and her blithe manner cooled to worry. At last though, just after dusk, knocking was heard on her front door. She hurled it open and almost leapt into the arms of the Count's herald. He would have been amused at that, but she stopped herself and almost fell off the steps of her doorway. After catching her balance she looked to the herald for an explanation to why he was there. Hopefully he wasn't to invite her to dinner on behalf of the count…again.

"Madam, your husband is dead."

When she heard her husband was slain, she fell into despair. She cried for hours, and was inconsolable. They had been only married two years, but she had given all of her heart to him. No one saw who did it. Woodsmen found his body in the middle of the woods.

The Count promised to have the bandits found and slaughtered immediately. Lianna didn't believe for a second that bandits had ended her husband. She was not a simple girl. She took notice of how the count flirted with her, and looked at her whenever she visited the castle. She also saw how the Count looked at Joronis with a disapproving frown. Joronis was a merchant—and in the Count's eyes—not worthy of the wife he possessed. Joronis was gone from Wendburry every six months, out trading to the rest of the country and that left opportunity for the Count to be alone with Lianna. He called for her often, invited her to dinner, horse rides, the castle entertainment, or any other excuse to be near her. She politely refused most times because she had a manor to run.

The third week after Joronis's death, the Count was close to proposing to her, figuring she had enough time to grieve. Lianna could have accepted and been miserable, a traitor to Joronis's memory, or deny him and face the consequences of refusing a spoiled count. Of course, she could not accuse the Count of murder, but she could fake her own.

She set a plan of escape in motion. She wrote a note that put the Count suspect to her husband's (real) and her (false) murder. Then, on a summer's eve, she slaughtered one of her sheep, and spread its' blood all over her bed. She ripped her clothes to shreds and threw them all over the bedroom and then added blood on the door and the windowsill to confuse anyone to where her body could have been dragged. After she set her scene, she bloodied a dagger and hid it under her bed.

She washed up, put on a clean dress, packed nothing but some gold, and set off never to be heard from again.

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_Now…_

"You want another piece of cake?" the innkeeper's wife asked sweetly. Lianna sat at a table in the main room. It was a cheap inn, along the Sea Road. She was rubbing her temples, groggily. She had left so early, and had hardly eaten.

"Yes please," she smiled weakly.

What was she to do? She had deserted the Queen's knights so they couldn't help her but she had no other choice but to run after last night.

She was about to go to sleep when she heard a knock on her door. It couldn't have been the lady she lent her Dragon Lore book to, but she knew of no one else that would try to speak with her so late. She opened the door and no one was there. Odd.

A folded piece of parchment lay at her feet. She looked down the hallway to see any sign of a person. None. Carefully she picked it up and unfolded it.

Liana immediately ripped the parchment up, slammed the door and locked it. Her heart raced, as she realized that he knew she was alive.

_What am I to do?_ Her mind raced. _How did he find me?_ She re-dressed and grabbed her bag. The window wasn't an option, her room was too high to try and make a jump to the ground. Besides…if the person who left the note was still out there, they would only follow her. So she laid back down into the bed, and stared up to the ceiling.

She left before dawn, and by that time she figured no one was awake to see her leave. No one was even in the main room downstairs. She snuck out and into the frozen night. It was so early that not even the drunken sailors at port were stumbling around. She was more at ease with the knowledge that no one was about to see her departure. Then she heard noises behind her, and quickened her pace. She did not know if it the noises were part of her imagination or real. Still she became frightened and desperate to escape. It always seemed like she was running away.

She started to pray under her breath and took the alleyway shortcut in order to be more discreet. The Tierbo city guards thought it odd for a woman to leave unescorted at such an early hour. She lied, and explained she needed to leave early, to meet a relative. They let her go, and then she tromped through the snow at a fast pace, scared out of her mind to what her future held.

"You look chilled to death m'dear, would you like a mug o' warm cider? It'll warm you up fast. Only a brass coin." The innkeeper's wife removed the plate that had the cake piece on it. Lianna could see that the lady was only being sweet to her because she had spent money on everything offered.

"Oh. No thank you," she shook her head and pulled her cloak tighter. She was chilled more than she thought. The dingy fire in the main room did not help the temperature at all. Even so, She left the counter to try and warm herself up by it.

She stretched her cold jaw, to try and rid it of the numbness it had acquired from her early morning escape.

The front door of the inn opened and the innkeeper's wife exclaimed, "Yet another night bound traveler? I have warm cider that'll hit the spot on ye!"

"No cider. I'll stay a night," the stranger said and tossed five gold coins on the counter.

Lianna turned her head ever so slightly to see the stranger-- weary that it might have been one of the Count's agents that were looking for her. He was a man in a white cloak and the hood of it was up so the only facial features visible on him were his lips and nose. He took in the room and then started towards her. She pulled her own cloak's hood up over her head, feeling masked and less likely to be recognized. If the man worked for the count, there was no way she was letting him take her.

He sat a seat away from her by the fire, also trying to get warm.

She couldn't tell where he was looking. The hood of his cloak hid any emotion. The silence and nearness between them was too much for Lianna.

"What brings you to these parts, stranger?"

"My own business," he replied. His voice was very soft and void of feeling. Lianna questioned the truthfulness to his statement in her mind. Of course she was not foolish enough to voice her concern and give herself away. He inhaled deeply all of a sudden. "You've seen a man with golden hair recently."

It was a statement. Lianna's skin prickled. Indeed, the husband of the girl she met in Tierbo had golden hair. How did this man know? He couldn't have unless he was the one who had left the note…the Count's agent!

She tried to be brave but her hands started shaking, "That's my own business."

He turned his head toward the fire and nodded, "Very well."

Lianna stood from her seat and went to her room. She gathered her belongings, preparing once more to escape her predators. The window was maybe six feet from the ground, and that was possible to leap from without hurting herself. When she opened it, the wind breeze in and gave her a taste of how cold she would be again. _Better to be cold than dead_, she thought as she hoisted herself out onto the roof. When she jumped off, she landed on the side of an iced-over snowdrift, which she slipped on and fell into the snow below.

A sharp pain pierced her ankle and she bit her lip to keep from crying out. She tried to get up but fell over once more and whimpered in defeat. The snow was melting into her clothes and becoming liquid ice on her skin. After a couple of minutes she heard boots crunching in the snow. She held still but hoped that it was the innkeeper or someone who could help her.

"You should know better than to try and trick one of us," came a soft voice but there was a hint of amusement. "I can see why he likes you."

She didn't care why or how the Count liked her. She twisted backwards and tried to crawl away from the man in the white cloak. He easily grabbed her up and restrained her futile kicking and clawing attempts. She screamed but he clamped his hand over her mouth. "I will knock you out if don't stop shouting."

She quieted for a moment and when he was at the front of the inn again, she belted out a piercing scream. At once, she felt a blow to the side of her head and her mind went into nothingness.

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A brown and white blob. She blinked—a blurry ceiling. She blinked once more—no just a regular ceiling. It was made of wood. The window on her left had daylight on the other side of it. Lianna blinked a few more times before she realized she was in her room at the inn from the night before. She had a headache and a bad taste in her mouth. She slowly propped herself up onto her elbows to look around the room.

The man in the white cloak—the Count's bounty hunter—was sitting on a chair at the end of her bed. She gasped and shrank back to the headboard.

"You shouldn't have screamed," he said. He was facing the door but was speaking to her.

She felt the side of her head and winced. There was a definite lump and it hurt at the slightest pressure.

"What are you going to do with me?"

"You're going to come with me, and that's all you need to know," he said stonily.

"What if I don't cooperate?" she folded her arms and challenged.

She could see his lips curve into a smile, "Then you will be rendered unconscious until we reach our destination."

She didn't like the thought of having lumps all over her head. _I'll go with him, but find a way to escape before we get to Wendburry_. He handed her a muffin and she ate it hungrily but did not thank him because he was about to kidnap her and take her to the man she despised most in the entire world.

She flipped the covers out of her way and put her feet on the cold floor. The pain in her ankle was a lot smaller than the night before. She saw that it was wrapped tightly with cloth. She looked at the man in bewilderment.

"He won't be happy if he finds you've been injured. I had to fix it, the best I could." He shrugged.

"Well, thank you…what are you called anyway?" she said and stood.

"None of your concern. We're going now, and I don't want any mischief from you along the way you hear?"

She nodded and reached for her pack but he quickly turned around and grabbed it from her, "I'll carry this."

They emerged into the great whiteness of the country. Bitter wind chilled Lianna, causing her to wrap her cloak tightly around her. She studied the man's back—which was only the white fabric of his cloak—and wondered why she had never seen his whole face.

"Are you disfigured?" she blurted out her wonder and then clapped her hands over her mouth.

"No,"

She eased up a little since he hadn't turned around and knocked her out, like she assumed he would do.

"Then why do you cover your face?"

He chuckled lightly, "Why do you think?"

She understood, "You don't want to be identified in case you are caught."

He didn't respond so she figured that was the reason.

It was difficult to follow him since his cloak blended in amazingly well with the white of the snow. Her ankle was starting to hurt again and she was hungry by dusk. They were in the middle of the woods and she didn't enjoy the pine needles in her face when the branches swung back and hit her. He stopped suddenly and she fell into him.

He picked her up and showed her an abandoned cabin in the clearing they were in.

"We're staying here."

"We'll freeze!" She argued.

"No, we won't," He assured her and led the way in.

It was a one-room cabin with a fireplace, a bed, and a pantry. He started a fire with a piece of flint and it immediately warmed the room considerably. Liana believed his previous assurance once she felt the warmth reach her skin. She found food in the pantry. Dry bread and crackers, jarred plumbs, and jerky. Why would someone abandon a home with food? Especially in the winter when food was scarce? She put that thought out of her mind and ate the plumbs. The man did not eat but only sat by the fire, seeming to watch her every move through the hood of his cloak.

She yawned and told him she was going to bed. She didn't know if he even slept but she took the bed. She stayed in all her layers since the only 'blanket' was a thin piece of material. She lay in bed for a few hours—not really sleeping but pretending to—listening for movement.

Finally, she heard the man's boots scrape against the floor and stand. His footsteps walked to the door and she heard it open and close. After a few minutes she sat up and went to escape once and for all.

There was a full moon above her, casting an eerie glow in the snow. It seemed to crunch loudly no matter how careful of steps she took. She didn't see any other footprints in the snow and figured that she was going in the opposite direction the man had gone. Why did he leave the cabin in the first place? Lianna decided she would rather escape than find out the answer to her question. A few minutes passed and she was well away from the cabin, but even if she was free from the man in the white cloak, she was utterly lost in the wilderness.

A noise close by made her stop advancing. She held her breath. It sounded near but not coming closer to her. She exhaled in relief but then movement caught her eye. Through the skeletal arms of the trees she saw a figure in the moonlight. A person? Perhaps they could tell her how to get to the nearest village or road! She stumbled through the snow, quietly getting closer the clearing the figure seemed to be in. She stopped cold, however when she saw it was the man. His white Cloak was not on him. She couldn't see his face because with his back turned on her. _Good, he can't see me. I'll just slowly back up_.

He began to act out of the ordinary, then removing his shirt. _It's so cold! How can he stand it?"_ She wondered as her eyes were now riveted on him.

He had neck-length, wild, black hair and defined back muscles that were apparent, even in the moonlight. She briefly remembered how Joronis's hair was black and unruly after Lianna had smothered him with hugs and kisses on those days he returned from long trading trips. She expected to see him again that day, three years ago, but found out of his murder. She hated the Count so much, and she hated this man—this man—who was suddenly removing his breeches. She looked away embarrassed and still wondered how the cold wasn't affecting him. She hated him for trying to take her back to the Count. A loud noise broke her thoughts, she turned to see the man but he was no longer there.

She screamed in fear, for before her was a creature she had thought long dead. It was a white dragon. Where had the man gone? The dragon turned and spotted her, roared. She turned to run but stumbled and fell into the snowdrift. The claw of the dragon reached out and caught her. She screamed once more as she saw it's pearl-like eyes loom closer. She closed hers, expecting a quick death but her mind raced through all her studies, out of all the things she could think of before she was ended. _White dragons—ivory hides and pearl eyes—Lunaris by association—Magnificent Seven—_

She opened her eyes and was staring into the pearls of the great Lunaris dragon, "Wyllir?"

The dragon's pearls seemed to widen. They stared at each other and then to her amazement and relief, the dragon set her back onto the snowy ground.

"Wyllir," she said once more as her knees were shaking uncontrollably. She looked up at the great white dragon. Moonlight poured onto him and he seemed to sigh. A dragon. The creatures she had spent her three years studying was right in front of her. She fell into the snow with a faint.


	6. Dragon Kiss

The sun was shining and the birds were chirping. Yet, Alys had a gloomy feeling all over her. She had no idea what was going to happen. Usually that prospect excited her but it turned in the opposite direction once the other seven dragons factored into the concept. She walked behind him and stepped in his larger footprints he had made since he could make it through the snow faster. She didn't like snow getting into her shoes and melting—it was uncomfortable and cold. Selendrile, himself seemed gloomy, and he looked like he wanted to chomp up the singing birds. She had to squint when she looked at him because the sun reflected off the snow with a blinding glare. They weren't on the road anymore, but in the wilderness.

"Won't we get lost?" Alys had asked the dragon-youth who looked at her like she was yet again, the most ignorant person on Earth at her question. Alys figured she wouldn't ask him any more questions that day even though she had millions that would take an entire lifetime for him to answer. So, she sighed.

"It isn't easy," Selendrile started to say from in front of her.

"Sorry!" She shouted, figuring he was going to comment on how she sighed more often than breathed.

He turned around and gave her a perplexed look, "to take revenge on those who hurt me."

"Oh," she sniffled, embarrassed at her assumption. Now she looked like a fool when he was trying to explain something about himself.

She remembered back to the night he rescued her from the villagers. He narrowed his eyes and flared his nostrils after she told him her assumption. Why would it be hard for a dragon to exact revenge? They were bigger, faster, stronger, and nearly invincible. He had stared at her for a moment and was the first to look away, but she didn't think anything of it. 

"It is very hard to take revenge, if you don't know who you are after," he added and continued forward.

"How can you not know who hurt you?" Alys broke her promise to herself and asked him a question. It wasn't her fault; it was a brand new one. Selendrile wasn't making any sense.

"They killed her," he said, voice gone hard and bitter.

Alys stopped walking suddenly. She realized he meant Sasinna. He didn't know who had done it. That's why he must have been flying around and terrorizing the northern towns--he was searching and taking his frustrations out on the humans. 

She felt a lump in her throat because of the obvious pain Selendrile had gone though, losing his mate. Her own agony with losing her father was mirrored in Selendrile's face.

Without thinking she latched onto him in a hug. She wanted to comfort him and herself. Two beings alone on the Earth without anyone but each other. She didn't know if dragons knew what a hug was but she felt his arms embrace her also. A few tears puddled in her eyes and dribbled down her cheeks. Selendrile pulled away and saw them. He caught one on his finger and lifted it up to look at it. The sun shined into the little droplet of water. She wiped her eyes and turned away to wipe her nose. She was about to turn around and explain herself, for hugging him but he was already grabbing her shoulder to turn her around.

"I didn't—" she began but she felt his lips on hers and stopped talking. Utterly shocked that a dragon—of anyone, Selendrile—knew how to kiss. She enjoyed it. She had kissed him once, but it was hurried and out of appreciation of friendship. A dragon's kiss was calming, smooth, sweet, and made all's troubles disappear. It seemed to last longer than reality.

She would have let him kiss her forever but she was still very perplexed at why he was doing it. She pulled away and his amethyst eyes had a shine in them she'd never seen before.

"Are you better?" he inquired.

"Why did you—? She began to ask, but couldn't quite finish the thought since all her thoughts were questions and blurring together in her mind.

"You did it to me when I was losing hope. It made me feel better, so are you feeling better now too?" His eyebrows rose and he expected her to reply in someway.

A tiny feeling of disappointment pricked from somewhere deep within when she realized the kiss wasn't meant to be romantic. It felt like it should have been romantic. Her cheeks reddened and she turned away, embarrassed for thinking it. He thought it was a gesture of comfort, and he only would. _No sense of romance_, she thought as she made footprints in the snow. "_He's a dragon. Don't let the human skin fool you. He has the power to eat you," She_ continued to drill in her mind, imagining how she could fit into his mouth when he was in dragon shape. She shuddered as she thought of bloody flesh between his impossibly razor sharp teeth.

"You're upset," he said—a statement.

"No!" she turned around and insisted otherwise. "No—I mean—I _am_ better. Thank you."

She was now out of the delusion that romance was possible with such a creature. 

"_But he CAN love"_—her thoughts settled on the fact that he used to have a mate, and how he looked when he mentioned her. She frowned, "_Yes, he can love other dragons, but not humans._"

"I wonder how far the Imperial City is from here?" she hopped over a fallen log, covered in snow.

"Can you see the white tower?" he asked.

She spun in a circle, looking at the sky. There was no Tower. "It's not there."

"Then we are not near the Imperial City."

All around them were pine trees or skeletal trees, naked of their leaves. Winter was a depressing season. She turned to look at her companion and he was unbuttoning his shirt.

"What are you doing! It's freezing out here!" she exclaimed.

He gave her a look like the one earlier when she said they would get lost if they wandered into the wilderness. Ah, so he wanted to go into the wilderness so he could change shape without any humans seeing him. He threw her his shirt, and when he began to undress further she turned around like she always did. She felt his trousers and boots hit her back and heard him transform. He found her behavior toward nudity hilarious.

Alys was no longer in awe when she saw the golden dragon, she was rather used to him in scales and talons now that they had been in each other's company since spring. She swiftly grabbed up his trousers and folded them to put in her pack so snow wouldn't melt into them. He snorted, wisps of smoke floated out of his nostrils. He was as tall as the tops of the trees as dragon. The sun on his hide only made him look more made out of gold. Instead of flying, he tromped off. Alys knew he intended on feeding. She knew to stay where she was until he was done, for he always came back for her. She dusted the snow from the fallen log and sat on it. It was the perfect time to finally read Lianna's Dragon Lore book. Alys hauled it out of her pack, and flipped to the page where the drawings of the Magnificent Seven were depicted. There was a drawing of a dragon that had ruby eyes and Alys was reminded of the ruby-eyed dragon that talked to her at the inn. It had a copper colored hide in the drawing. Alys remembered Selendrile had said only gold colored dragons could change shape…but yet the ruby-eyed dragon had been in human form! Selendrile did lie! She remembered at the time, they had just been acquainted and he probably didn't trust her with such information. After all, she was only a muddy, fifteen-year old piece of meat that was throwing rocks at him—hardly looking as a trustworthy sort of being. 

She flipped through the pages until she found the chapter about the dragon of the burning flame. He was called Varlor. He had supposedly left when he caught the strong scent of Selendrile, leading back toward Tierbo. 

The Queen's knights were in Tierbo—Lianna said they were on a quest but she didn't know what it was about—only that they used her knowledge of dragon lore. What happened to Lianna anyway? She had disappeared without telling anyone. How strange. Selendrile seemed in an awful hurry to leave after he transformed from a mouse at the inn…was he spying on the knights? Oh, so many theoretical inquiries popped into Aly's mind.

Selendrile returned after two hours, looking well fed, and changed back into human form. Alys refused to look at his nudity, especially finding it unnerving when it was so cold outside, but she stuck out he pack and waited until he re-dressed. She saw he had a better form than most human males from the instances where he disrobed at a whim. He did not have a problem with naked bodies, and why would he? He was a dragon by nature and hardly had a sense of propriety. She also feared that if she looked at his bare body, that it would lead him to believe that it would be okay to stare at her if she un-dressed. His dragon-beauty was very charming.

They started along again, and before dusk, reached a road. They were probably going to stay at an inn again. It was just too cold to be outside at night. 

There was hardly a guest at the inn they came across. The inn _was_ out in the middle of nowhere—or wherever they were—Alys hadn't the slightest clue. Selendrile paid the cranky-looking owner ten gold—which Alys thought was too much for a dingy sleeping pad and two blankets. She wrapped the blanket around her and sat on the sleeping pad while Selendrile removed his boots. He wiggled his toes that had been scrunched up in the boot. The movement was person-like; it amazed Alys how believable he was at being a human. "_But he isn't a human,_" she reminded herself. They slept on the same sleeping pad with each their own blanket. Alys was as far to the wall she could get, as though the wall was a source of warmth. It wasn't. In fact she figured she would have probably been warmer if Selendrile and her shared both blankets.

"Good night," he said and blew out the candle. Darkness settled upon them. Selendrile had told her 'Good night' every night they fell asleep in the same place, and every night she would echo it, but she had other things on her mind. 

"I think the Queen might be the one who is hunting you," she said, staring at the wall, not seeing it but knowing it was there, and wishing she were a dragon.


	7. Dragon Absence

A/N- Hey sorry it has been awhile; been busy with college and art projects but summer break is coming soon and that means more frequent updating! Yey! Hope you guys are still interested in reading this, and please review if you are. Thanks.

--

It was dark in the room in the inn when Alys shared her conclusion with Selendrile. She couldn't see his face due to the absence of light and the fact she was facing the wall. She knew he couldn't have been asleep so fast—he'd only said '_good night_' a moment before.

"Yes." He sighed after another long instant of silence. He did not sound surprised at her statement.

"You knew and didn't tell me?" Alys rolled over and kicked him in his leg—furious that he had been keeping secrets.

He kicked her back, but not as hard as he could have. "You figured it out on your own, so why should I have told you?"

Alys bit her tongue to keep from calling him something nasty—not that he would have cared anyway—he could never be hurt with words.

"Why is she hunting you?" she sat up on the sleeping pad.

"She's wealthy, and vain."

_Has he ever met the queen?_ Alys wondered. She decided not to voice her newest question, and noticed his reply wasn't an answer.

"Why are the other dragons hunting you?"

"They're not hunting me," Selendrile propped his head up, and was closer to her eye-level. His tone made her suspect he was giving her the 'look' he did when she was ignorant.

"But you said—" she was about to point out that he was contradicting his earlier words.

"I _said_ that they were coming for me. They have no intention of hurting me, they wouldn't dare. I am their prince and without me, the dragon clans would be at war as they used to be." He said with an air of superiority, but dropped his head back onto the pad like he was exhausted from the paragraph of information he'd just released.

His remark opened up a new world of questions for Alys. _Dragon clans? War? Why are they after him then?_

Selendrile shifted on the sleeping pad and yawned, "When you find me gone tomorrow, you must travel west into the woods—"

"_What?!" _Alys grabbed his shoulder and made him turn over. "What does _that_ mean? Are you abandoning me?! After all that we've been through?!" She was so infuriated and shocked that she was shaking.

"Alys—" he said softly, as if he was the adult and Alys was a child throwing a tantrum.

"You have no idea how incredibly stupid you are. I know I shouldn't worry about you because you can take care of yourself but…but…there are so many people after you now. You could end up in iron again but who will free you if you leave me? WHO? No one! No other humans would risk their life for a creature like you." She was near hysterics, fearful and feeling a crushing feeling in her chest. She recalled a similar feeling embrace her the night Atherton bound Selendrile in iron—sheer panic. She ran and ran back to St. Toby's feeling that if Selendrile didn't make it, then neither would she.

"Alys—" Selendrile said calmly once more. He really must not have cared about her if he was going to leave. She melted into a ball, holding her knees to her chest and pressing the crushing feeling away. He grabbed her arm firmly and untangled her from herself. She refused to look at him—refused to have his dragon charm work on her.

"Alys—" with his other hand, he took her chin and made her see him. "I wouldn't leave you for the world." There was a hint of a promise in his voice, and she looked at him fully. The moon was high in the sky and was casting a glow on them through the window. It wasn't the full moon anymore, as it had been in nights' past, but was a little less and a long way from a crescent.

His golden hair was loose around his shoulders and some hung in his eyes, which were full of concentration and concern.

"I am leaving, with the intentions of returning but…" he looked into the moon as if he suddenly never saw it before.

"But what?" Alys grabbed his chin and made him focus back on his words. She would have giggled at both of them holding each other's chins if it weren't so serious.

"Something might prevent me from doing so. I need you to listen to me." He let go of her chin then, and she did the same. _I've never touched his face before_, she noticed.

"If I don't return in two days then you must travel west into the woods to the Fey Shrine of Telonge.

"Telonge?"

"Yes."

Alys rolled her eyes, not caring if he could tell. He was the most elusive being ever when it came to questions.

"Now sleep." He ordered and fell back into the sleeping pad.

She was planning to return Lianna's book to the university, not to tromp through woods and snow to find a long forgotten fey alter. Hopefully, Selendrile would always return back to Alys. She didn't have an easy life, but she figured it would be a hundred times harder if she weren't in company with the Prince of Dragons. Or perhaps it would be a hundred times easier…

She erased that thought, because the truth was that she would never be able to leave him on her own. She'd rather have a hundred questions go unanswered than to not be with him. He was interesting and provided more adventure than any human could—dangerous as they may be.

Awhile had passed and Alys still hadn't found sleep. Her body refused to let her rest, even after fighting the wilderness all day. She rolled away from the wall and saw Selendrile's back toward her. The moon was lower than before and only grazed the top of his head, making his hair color look like a saturated gold.

_That is a dragon. He is a dragon. He is a prince. He is a mystery. He is centuries old. I am a human. A girl. A peasant. An open book. Sixteen years old. _She let her mind string together attributes of them both, none in common. She grinned, _total opposites._

--

--

He wasn't there when she woke up. His blanket was there and the spot where he had been sleeping was cold.

Alys lay on the mat with her had extended over to the space where he had occupied hours before. Her heart was beating at a sluggish pace but her breathing was fast and her stomach gurgled in hunger. He left again. He didn't even bother to say where he was going. Selfish. Yet, the move was not in the least bit surprising. _He could be in trouble and then what? _She never worried when he disappeared back during the summer. The difference now was that he was being hunted. He probably was being hunted before, but he never told her. The north was a good place for bandits to hide because there were many miles between cities.

It was logical that Selendrile would return before nightfall, he always had. Still, a horrible feeling kept nagging her.

She was the only guest at the inn she soon came to find out. She found the innkeeper to be a cheat. He charged gold for everything! He refused any brass or silver she presented. Luckily, Selendrile had bought a full other two nights there before he left. She wouldn't be kicked out and into the snowdrifts at least.

"How far is the Imperial City from here?" she dared to ask the man, he was always scowling and she didn't want to be shouted at. To her surprise, he laughed.

"Da Im'erial C'ty is near'y in da oth'r d'rection, g'rly."

"Do you have a map?" she asked since she couldn't understand his words through a thick and hardly understood vernacular.

He shook his head, no but started laying objects on the counter to represent places.

"Dis 'ere the inn you in," he pointed at the saltshaker nearest to her. He maneuvered the peppershaker on the opposite side of the counter. "Dis is the Im'erial C'ty."

She thought they had been going straight to the capital! It looked like they were as far as possible from the Imperial City as they could possibly be! Had Selendrile been too proud to admit he didn't know the way or did he take her this direction on purpose? She mumbled a quick thanks to the innkeeper and bought an apple to settle her growling stomach.

She had nothing to do all day. She didn't feel like reading the big book of Dragon Lore that day—it would only remind her she was worried about the Prince of Dragons. She went outside and shuffled through the snow. When she was younger, her best friend, Risa and her would pack snow into a pile during the winter months. If they were lucky, the snow would stay long enough that they could pile long stretches of snow and use them as 'forts' for snowball fights. Alys sighed as she remembered her childhood. The memories were happy but in the present they brought a depression over her. Everyone she had ever loved was dead. In all reality she had no one to turn to. The people who might have helped her all thought she was a witch.

"Father, please forgive me," she whispered and looked into the bright blue of the sky. She sighed again but this time, about that fact that the only being she could ever trust was a _dragon._

_Not trustworthy at all in the first place_ she kicked some of the white, it went high and seemed to shimmer in the sunlight and then it fell back onto the ground. She picked up a handful of snow, packed it into a ball and hurled it at the side of the inn. Her hands stung with a wet coldness for moment afterward.

She explored the area around the inn that was in the middle of nowhere. She saw a doe sniffing around for grass under the snow at one point but the doe caught her scent and dashed away.

_He'll be back soon_ Alys assured herself as she noticed the trees' shadows grow longer. Sunrays were drifting through the forest but the heat of the day's sun hadn't melted the snow at all. She was slightly chilled and decided to go back inside.

The innkeeper served chicken soup. Alys was glad to have it—it warmed her up considerably.

She retired to her room after, and waited for Selendrile to come back. She ended up falling asleep with her head on the windowsill.

Her neck ached the next morning. Actually her whole body was in discomfort.

_I'm never falling asleep like that again_ she swore to herself as she felt her joints pop and crack into a normal alignment. Selendrile was not there. Her heart pace sped up. It wasn't normal. She went downstairs and asked the innkeeper if Selendrile had come back.

"Na, I 'Avn't seen the man," he said and then offered her porridge for an extra gold coin. She frowned—mostly out of worry and discomfort—but handed a coin over and received a bowl of porridge.

After her breakfast she went back to the room and did feel like taking another glance at the book of Dragon Lore.

She found that her questions were somewhat answered by the book. Telonge was the dragon of the sparkling stars. The illustration depicted a bronze-colored dragon with opal eyes. It said that Telonge was worshipped in pagan religion because his demeanor brought good luck. _Whatever that means_ Alys mused, not understanding the religions of old. She wondered how the world was back then—when people still believed in fey and worshipped what power they could see. Now people believed in one power, and if anyone contested that power, they were written off as possessed souls.

She continued gathering information through he book until she was straining her eyes because of the approaching darkness. Her stomach growled and she realized she had forgotten to eat the noon meal. She traveled downstairs to see if there was any food left from dinner but the innkeeper said it was leftovers since she didn't show up at lunch. She ate salt pork and hard bread, but it left a bad taste in her mouth.

_He has to come back tonight_ she paced around her room after her not-so-delicious meal. _He just has to_.

She fell asleep on the windowsill again, in wait.

_I hate my body. I hate him. No I don't. I'm hungry—_were her first thoughts upon waking. She groaned and stretched her limbs, which were accompanied by more cracks and discomfort.

She shuffled downstairs and the innkeeper informed her that she needed to pay for another night if she wanted to stay any longer. She sighed. Selendrile had told her to go west if he did not return. She wanted to see him again, but she was now in a situation where she could clearly be rid of him. She could start out on her own and return Lianna's book and maybe even stay in the Imperial City…but she was kidding herself—she knew she wasn't able to leave Selendrile—not on her own.

"Which direction is west?" she asked.

--

--

Alys had been trudging through the woods most of the day. The sun was past the high point in the sky, which meant she only had a few hours of daylight left before she would be alone in the dark wilderness. She didn't mind the dark but the wilderness was filled with animals—like the wolf Selendrile had killed that one night. She had bought some bread from the innkeeper—it cost two gold coins, which was a rip-off bread-wise—and ate it while pondering what would happen when she arrived at the fey shrine of Telonge. _Will Selendrile be there? What is so great about an ancient shrine of fey?_ She munched on two pieces and then put it back into her pack. Continuing forward, it wasn't until the absolute last moment of light for the day she caught a glimpse of something other than twigs and branches. A brownish golden hue could be seen in a clump beyond the next bunch of trees. Was it Selendrile? She had seen his dragon self in near darkness and his hide was a dark gold. She never paid attention to the details regarding pigments of his scales in light or dark—all she knew was that he was the golden dragon.

She eased up as she came closer. It was a definite dragon lying on its side, facing the other direction. She was quite sure it was her annoying comrade –just laying around in wait for two days while she worried—the selfish beast.

"You are unbelievable!" she poked the sleek scales to get his attention.

Almost at once came a surprised roar and the dragon stood and turned around to face her. Only, this dragon was not Selendrile. She stared at it—her heart practically stopped. She was used to Selendrile but _another_ dragon? Her jaw was dropped. Every instinct told her to run but instead her knees buckled and she dropped to her knees with her head turned away and her eyes closed in fear. She managed to squeak, "Please don't eat me!"

After a moment, all she heard was laughing. It sounded genuinely humored at Alys' antics. She let out a breath, realizing the dragon had transformed into human. She wouldn't be caught off-guard like the first time with Selendrile. She kept her eyes closed and turned her head toward the strange new dragon-youth.

"I know you are naked. So if you would please put on any sort of clothing, I would thank you very much and open my eyes." She said, that time with a little more confidence.

"So are you the girl?" he asked. His voice was buttery, and filled with a good- natured laugh.

_The girl?_ She wondered in her mind, but answered out loud, "Yes, I am a girl."

He laughed again, like she was the funniest person he'd ever met.

"Very well but I have to go inside and it will take awhile to find something," she heard him say and start to walk away. She didn't want to be left alone in the darkness and where was 'inside'?

"Wait!" she shouted, swinging her arm out and almost falling over to which the dragon-youth laughed some more about. "Here, Take my cloak until then." She un-did it and handed it out into the air and immediately felt the cold engulf her.

She felt his human hand when he took it. _He's not so scary_ she concluded.

"How do I look?" he asked, a smile was hidden in his voice.

She opened her eyes. It was dark out but the stars had come out and were amazingly bright. After a moment her eyes adjusted to the dark and she gasped. The dragon-youth looked like what an angel should have at least. He could join the beautiful murals in the church, which was silly considering he was a _dragon_. He was slightly luminescent under the stars, which was another reason she decided that he looked angelic. He had light blonde hair, but it was shorter than both Selendrile and Varlor's human hair—only midway to his neck.

"Well?" he asked, after Alys had taken in his appearance.

"Oh um…you look like a angel?" She blurted honestly.

He laughed again, harder and then spun in a circle and bowed, making her cloak fan out but never showing any of his nakedness. "I am Telonge."


	8. Dragon Nonsense

Alys couldn't fathom that Telonge had ever been a dragon. For one he smiled constantly, and laughed. His shrine was made of stone but there were dead vines climbing up the sides. It was basically a round platform with broken columns. There was also a door that led underneath the stone, something Alys hadn't noticed while in the dark. He lifted the door open and motioned for Alys to enter. She looked at him suspiciously to which he replied with a smile. His smile was unnervingly comforting. She expected a dragon-youth to be thoughtfully silent and evasive when asked a question.

She peered into the hole that the door opened to. It led to a dark tunnel going straight down. "How do I know it is safe?"

"I've climbed down it before," Telonge shrugged one of his shoulders and the slight luminescence followed the movement.

"Why are you glowing?"

"Eh?" he looked at himself and chuckled, "The stars. I'm connected with them and they seem to like me no?"

"Er…yes, considering you're shiny and I'm not." She shook her head, having trouble wrapping it around his words. She turned around and lowered herself into the tunnel. There were rungs along the side she could grab and step on incase she slipped—it made her feel safer at least.

There was no more light when Telonge followed in above her and closed the door. The shine on him had disappeared. "How far does this go down?" Alys asked, not looking above her—even if it was pitch black—because Telonge's human form was probably exposed.

"I'd say about ten feet. My followers wanted a warm place to worship during the winter so they dug this out." He said, his buttery voice echoing slightly.

Alys's foot hit earth a minute later and she cleared the way for Telonge, but it was a small space and when he reached the same spot, he was pressed against her. She blushed but knew Telonge couldn't see.

"There's a room on the other side of that crawl space," he said and she felt his arm extend to the back of her, pointing to where the crawl space was. She maneuvered herself in the other direction and crouched down. The crawl space was cold. She wished had something warmer to wear as she crept through it on her hands and knees. There was a light—she noticed, although faint—coming closer as she advanced.

When she came to the end, there indeed, was a room. A stone statue of a dragon—presumably Telonge and a whole bunch of chests and barrels lined against the walls.

In her wonderment, she had stopped crawling and only continued when Telonge gave her a smart pat on her behind.

Alys crawled on more space and then popped up, turning around to frown at the dragon of the stars. He made a quick laugh about it, but otherwise ignored his previous action and went to search the barrels.

She cleared her throat and sat on the edge of the statue. The room was lighted by candles atop long wire stands.

"Ah hah!" she heard him say and she turned her head to see what he was so amused at, but immediately turned it back when she saw he started to unwrap her cloak because he had found some clothes.

"Where is he?" Alys asked in a soft voice. She had spent maybe an hour with the odd dragon-youth and had no idea why Selendrile had told her to go there.

"Captured is my only guess," Telonge knew the 'he' she referred to. She was surprised that he gave her a straight answer—alarming as it was.

"Captured!?" she cried starting up.

"Shh! don't get your undergarments in a twist," Telonge pushed her back to a sitting position and threw her cloak into her lap. He was wearing some peasant clothes—brown breeches and a white shirt with a wool vest.

"My undergarments are none of your concer—"she bit back coldly but he didn't care what she had to say and covered her mouth with his hand.

"Sorry. Now where was I? Oh yes…" he mused at himself and removed his hand.

_A dragon just told me he was sorry?_ Alys couldn't believe it.

"You are the girl, and the only reason for you being here would be that Selendrile—o mighty prince that he is—has been captured."

"But—"

"Yes I know it is hard to believe he could be captured. He's kind of daft when it comes to his pride though…" Telonge rubbed the back of his head.

Alys jumped up, "You make no sense!"

"How so?" he raised his eyebrows with a smile.

"I have no idea what you are talking about! Why am I 'the girl'? How do you know Selendrile is captured? Why are you here and not trying to rescue him? What is going on?!" She rattled out questions while clenching her fists in frustration.

"Oh girly, you have no idea what you have gotten yourself into, have you?" Telonge clasped his hands together and looked at her like she was adorable for being so ignorant. Well, it was better than look Selendrile gave her when she was ignorant.

--\

--

There was warmness in the room that caused Lianna to feel comfortable and not want to open her eyes. Her mind was scrambled with images of a white dragon, a mysterious bounty hunter, and the moon. Her mind forced her eyes to shoot open against their will, and she sat up fast in bed. The blood to her brain made her head dizzy and her vision blurred.

"Careful," came the voice of the man who was her captor. She felt his hand on her back and the other one on her forehead—steadying her.

"There was a dragon! Did you see it?" she blurted, her voice was croaky. _How could he not? He was standing right there!_

"Yes, about that." He coughed and removed his hands "Are you, or are you not the girl companion of Selendrile?"

_Selendrile? The Prince of Dragons? He is really alive too?_ She thought and her heart fluttered with excitement that dragons existed.

"No. I've never met a dragon before. Where did the other one go?" She tried maneuvering out of the bed but the man grabbed her shoulders and prevented her from going further. She then noticed that he didn't have his hood over his head. It was off and his face was clearly visible. He had a soft face, it wasn't rough or disfigured like she originally thought it to be. He was rather handsome but she gasped when she looked into his eyes. Pure white. No iris or pupil visible…just whiteness, like the snow. She felt a chill creep up her spine and realized she had seen eyes like that before.

Her heart beat sped up as they looked at each other. _The girl in Tierbo was right. They can change shape._ "You…you are Willyr?"

"How is it that you know my name if you have never met a dragon before?" he asked with a frown. Even though he had white eyes, she could tell he was looking straight into hers.

"I…I know dragon lore. I've studied it for some time because I'm fascinated by fey creatures." She admitted. She sensed that if she lied, he would tell. She didn't want him angry.

"I'm a fool," he mumbled to himself and let her go.

She hugged herself, still in disbelief that the man was a dragon. She wondered what he meant though.

"So you are not a bounty hunter for the Count of Wendburry?" she sighed in relief.

"No, I search for my prince. I thought you were his girl because you had his scent on you. But since you have his scent that means you have met him at some point. In human form, he has golden hair." Willyr looked disappointed that he had mistaken her for someone else.

"In Tierbo I met him. He did have a girl with him and I lent her my Dragon Lore book, but circumstances caused me to leave Tierbo without it. I'm sorry but I don't know where they went." Lianna pulled her covers closer. It was so chilling, knowing now that she had met Selendrile in person and hadn't even known it. _He ate asparagus_ she remembered, which was an odd mannerism for a dragon.

"I thought I had succeeded. If I had the girl, then maybe that would bring him back to us." He sat on the edge of the bed with a sigh.

"Sorry to be of little help, Willyr," Lianna apologized sincerely.

He sat in silence, and then turned his head toward her, "No human has called me by name for centuries. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Since I am not the girl you originally thought then I shall take my leave and let you continue on your way." She smiled, relieved that he wasn't taking her back to the Count.

She made a move to get out of the bed but he grabbed her by the arm, and not so gently either. "No. since you know my true nature I cannot let you go free to tell others about it. You shall continue with me until my quest is complete."

"I won't tell anyone!" She panicked, meaning it.

"I cannot trust you. Not after so many humans have hunted my kind," he shook his head.

"What if I run away?"

"Then I will eat you."

Lianna's stomach dropped.

--

--

Alys's blank look told Telonge that she was truly clueless.

"Didn't he tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"Oh, well if he didn't tell you then I certainly won't. I don't even think I'm supposed to release that information at all." He backed away from her.

"He never tells me anything!" she shouted.

"Well it's a good thing I'm not telling you because the tantrum you're throwing now is nothing compared to the tantrum you'll be throwing if he tells you."

"_IF_ he tells me?!" Alys cried, not having any idea what the dragon-youth was jabbering on about.

"Anyway sweetie, you're probably worn out from walking all day. I suggest you get some rest because tomorrow we're on our way to rescue him. Maybe he'll tell you afterwards." Telonge yawned tremendously and pointed to a sleeping roll in the corner.

"Tell me what!?" Alys demanded but the dragon-youth was already curled into a ball on the ground, snoring.


	9. Dragon Captive

Alys had been sleeping, curled into a ball with her cloak engulfing her. There was a shuffling sound that caught her attention and back into consciousness and she opened her eyes into a staring pair of opals—Telonge.

"Get back!" she shouted at once and pushed on him. He was lying on his stomach with his head propped up by his elbows. He was sturdy, so instead of pushing him away, she ended up propelling herself backwards. It relived her—either way—of his unsettling closeness to her personal space.

"Dream of me?" were the first words out of his mouth.

Alys twisted her face up at his inquiry and blurted, "No!"

"Shame," he smirked and pushed himself up into a standing position.

She scrambled up as well, throwing her cloak around her to keep the warmth she had accumulated during sleep. "What were you doing?"

He looked at the ceiling of the room. There was nothing there. "I was trying to read your mind."

"What? Why?"

"It doesn't matter. It didn't work. I'm not a very good psychic. If you ever come upon a gypsy, who wants money to tell you what you think, don't pay them."

Alys didn't quite understand what he was talking about but she asked anyway, "Why?"

He looked at her then, "Because you already know what you think. It's a waste of your money."

How wise.

"Did that happen to you once?"

"What?"

"Did a gypsy tell you what you were thinking and take your money?"

"She told me what I was thinking, but it was wrong. I was thinking about eating her flock of chickens but she said I was thinking about a maiden who had fallen in love with my brother. Whatever that means, and I don't even have a brother much less a maiden to fall in love with." He was looking at the ceiling again, in a perplexed sort of way. "Anyway I laughed at her and then ate her flock of chickens."

Telonge started chuckling at the memory. Alys was perplexed at him all together. The only thing that she found he had remotely in common with Selendrile was that they lacked an understanding of personal space and modesty.

"You look troubled, why?" he was quick on the uptake though.

"I don't know, maybe because Selendrile is captured? He is the only friend I have in the world and while he is in trouble we are standing here and you are laughing. By the way, I thought all dragons were somber. Selendrile never laughs in the manner you do and he never answers my questions. Why are you not the same?"

Telonge gave her a look that was close to—but not exactly like—the look Selendrile gave her when she was the most ignorant person in the world.

"Are all humans the same, Sweetcake?"

"No—"

"And neither are dragons." He flashed a witty smile.

She closed her mouth. She hadn't thought about that before. It certainly made sense as to why his mannerisms were so different from Selendrile's.

"We are going now," he decided and stalked off toward the crawl space.

"I'm hungry!" Alys protested.

He waved his hand as if it weren't a big matter, "Yes, yes. We'll find food on the way."

"Where?"

"At a shop, I suppose."

"No," Alys huffed and followed him, "I mean _where_ are we going? Do you know where Selendrile is?"

"Yes, he's in the Imperial City."

"How do you know?"

"That is the only place he could be."

Which was not an answer at all. Alys, however begrudgingly followed the Dragon of the Stars hoping he really had a way of finding the Prince of Dragons.

--

--

Willyr raised an amused eyebrow at the look on Lianna's white face. Her mouth was turned down in a scared pout and her eyes were big, blue, saucers.

"That is, only if you run away. If you follow along and don't bother me, then you shall be…alive."

"You are a monster," Lianna whispered.

"Yes, madam. If it hasn't escaped your attention, I _am_ a monster." He spoke and looked at the ground, with a sad sort of expression.

"How long must I stay?"

"Until the Prince is found and returned home safely," he huffed, in an annoyance at something. Lianna couldn't figure out what.

"Home?"

He stared at her for a moment and then decisively stated, "I'm done talking for now."

Lianna didn't want to talk to him anyway. She was still as much a prisoner in a dragon-youth's custody as she would have been in a bounty hunter's. At least they would be heading away from Wendburry.

He pulled his hood over his head and left the small shack a moment later. Lianna wondered if he was testing her. It was a perfect opportunity to run but Willyr was a dragon, and not just any dragon—Dragon of the Glowing Moon. She could run but oh, she would be found quickly if he flew above the trees in search. She wouldn't tell a soul about him or the others if he let her go free, she just wished he trusted her enough to know that. She found it a great injustice what the human race did to the dragons back in the times of old. She could understand how Willyr did not trust humans.

She brought her knees to her chest and leaned against the creaky backboard of the bed frame, thinking of the Count. _Hell, I don't even trust humans._

She fell asleep after awhile. Her stomach grumbled, but there was no more food. Between them both, all that was left in the shack was eaten. She lay soundly asleep but her mind forced her eyes open at a slam of the door.

It was too dark to see him because the fire had died out, leaving the shack bone- chillingly cold, and Lianna's own bones went colder when a man's voice—not Willyr's—spoke out.

"I've found you."

She didn't have to wonder to who it was. She leaped out of the bed right as the _real_ bounty hunter grabbed for her. She hurried to stand by was yanked by the hair backwards. She screamed but the bounty hunter clamped his hand over her mouth.

"Keep quiet and I won't kill your gentleman friend when he returns," the man threatened. His voice was jagged, and sounded scarred. She screamed louder. She wanted him to try and kill her 'gentleman friend.' He didn't know Willyr was a dragon, and Willyr could probably swallow him in one bite-size before the bounty hunter had time to draw a dagger. Unfortunately for Lianna's head, he hit it hard against the backboard to quiet her. She went unconscious from the pain of having her head hit twice in the past two days.

Lianna felt cold and drifted in and out of consciousness. Her stomach was strained, squished against something hard. She felt gravity's pull on her shoulders and head. Where was she? Moving? She opened a tender eye to see the snow below her being kicked up. Her head hurt terribly. But when she tried to touch where she thought a bump was, she saw that her wrists were tied together. Turning her head, she found that she was lying across a horse's back. A man was leading the horse by its reigns.

He was looking ahead, not seeing she had awoken. Carefully, Lianna tested to see if her feet were tied together as well. They spread apart to her relief. If she slid off the horse, she could run away. She waited until it was darker though, just in case the bounty hunter tried to chase her. She would be harder to find at night.

She kept quiet, feigning unconsciousness all day. Her stomach hurt from her uncomfortable position the horse and her hunger. She wondered if the bounty hunter had injured Willyr? No, impossible. He probably just never came back while they were still there. Or perhaps the bounty hunter thought it best to split before Willyr arrived. Anyhow, Lianna knew in her heart that Willyr was still out there. _It was stupid to run away in Tierbo. At least the knights could have protected me._ She thought. _It was stupid to try and run away at the inn too._ She realized running away never solved any of her problems. Now, she was being taken back to Wendburry, where everyone would be disappointed in her for faking her own death. They adored the Count, and wouldn't believe her if she tried blaming him for Joronis's death. That is, if she had an unsuccessful escape. _I'll try running away, just one more time._

When dusk approached, Lianna quietly shifted her weight down so that she slid off the horse and onto her feet. She didn't count on her stomach hurting so much after being strained for so long. She made an 'oomph' noise despite her plan to escape quietly. The bounty hunter heard and whipped around. Lianna willed her legs to run, and she did. She slapped the horses rear as she ran by. It whinnied and reared, blocking the man. It was hard to run with her hands bound, she wobbled off-balance as she sprinted.

"Come back!" the man called, his voice just a little ways behind her. It was still even harder to run with a limp because of her ankle. It was still in pain from the night before.

She fell to the ground and knowing she couldn't go on, rolled under some dead brush. The snow soaked into her clothes, and made her skin wet and cold. She heaved in breaths of air from her dash, and tried hard to keep her breathing quiet in case the man had stopped chasing and had started to look for her.

A few moments had passed and she didn't hear any crunching of his boots through the snow. It was dark enough for her to come out from under the dead brush and not be seen. The moon was high in the sky and at a half. She pressed her back against a tree and looked up at the moon. _I wonder where Willyr is?_

She heard a twig snap suddenly. She peered around the tree to the right and saw nothing. She sighed, but when she looked to her left—there was the bounty hunter.

"Got you!" he shouted and grabbed her by her shoulders tightly.

"Let me go!" She elbowed him but he was skilled at blocking. She tried kicking but he merely grabbed her foot, sending her falling backwards into the snow.

"Can't have you trying to run away again," he held her down and pulled out another rope. She kicked and kicked but he managed to tie her feet together so tight that the rope scraped against her skin.

He hauled her up and slung her over the horse again. This time he mounted also, so she was lying in front of him.

"Hiya!" he flicked the reigns and the horse took off into a run. She was fast approaching the last place in the world she wanted to be.

--

--

She got fed once along the way. It was a handful of dried fruit.

The guard at Wendburry stared in shock at the sight of them when they approached the next day. The bounty hunter had her hung across his shoulder like a pelt.

"Why do you have a lady tied up so?" A guard asked, alarmed. He had blocked their entrance. The other watch guard had his sword drawn.

"Gentlemen. She is a fiend that the count had sent me to find, and you might know her already. He grinned and swiveled around so the guard could see who the lady was.

The guard went white, "Lianna? But you're…you're…you've been dead for three years!"

Lianna looked at the ground. She was surprised they could even recognize her as her hair was a mess and her body was black and blue.

The bounty hunter turned back to face them, "So you see gentlemen, you must let me pass. I have business at the castle."

The guard nodded solemnly and moved out of the way. The bounty hunter was by no means discreet while carrying her through Wendburry on his way to the castle. It was midday and the people were about. She could hear people; recognize voices from her past that chattered in disbelief as they passed.

Against her will, Lianna's pent up tears were released. They were quiet tears and fell right out of her eyes since her head was upside-down. Every muscle in her body tensed harder and harder as they approached the Castle Wendburry.

She clenched her eyes close to rid herself of tears. She did not want the count to see her cry—to know that he was stronger than her.

The great doors of the castle opened and they entered.

"Where is the Count?" she heard the bounty hunter ask as soon as they were in the main hall.

"His grace is aloft at the moment," the steward motioned up the grand staircase. He then took Lianna's chin and lifted it up to get a look at her face. "I give you permission to see him." Lianna kept her eyes closed the whole time. Maybe if she kept them closed, she could pretend it was all a nightmare. She thought of the Imperial City Libraries and how comforting it was to just sit in there for hours, reading books. She felt them climbing stairs. She heard doors open. Then she heard nothing.

"Do I get my gold now?" the bounty hunter asked. He was rather irate sounding. She couldn't even guess how long he had been tracking her. She was thrown onto the floor, where she curled up, frightened but trying to ignore everything.

"Did you hurt her?" She heard the Count ask. His voice was somber bit a bit concerned at her condition.

"I knocked her out because she wouldn't stop making noise. She was in company with a man at the time, and I didn't want him hearing."

"Very well."

She could hear the jangling of a pouch of coins. _That's all I'm worth to the Count? Why even try to find me?_

The footsteps of the bounty hunter went away. She was alone with the Count. Her heart pace sped up.

"Lianna dear. Please open your eyes." He said.

"Untie me first." She demanded coldly, not moving a muscle.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that since you will try to run away again."

"I have no reason to stay."

He scooped her up and sat her down on a softer surface. A fainting bed perhaps.

She felt a weight next to her, him sitting down. She jerked back when she felt his fingers brush the hair out of her eyes. "You are still lovely, even as roughed up as you appear."

"How did you find me?" she growled, eyes still closed.

"When the guards found your note. You know, the one that aroused suspicion that I had murdered you; the Queen's personal advisor was summoned to oversee the charges. I explained to her that I only had love for you and she dismissed them. Many of my subjects supported testimony that proved it true." The Count sighed, "However, a year later I received a letter from the advisor telling me of a girl with a strange resemblance and the same name as the dead 'Lianna.' I wrote back, telling her it was impossible—that you were dead. Then a few months ago she wrote again, telling me she was sending you out with the Knights to aid them with a quest and then I might be able to discover the truth. I had my bounty hunter go to Tierbo and when he reported back that it was really you, I sent him after you to bring you back."

Lianna felt a lump in her throat. Varisca, the Queen's personal advisor was a cold-hearted woman. They had often gotten into spats about dragon lore, something that Varisca, as well as Lianna was passionate about. Perhaps that is why Varisca had so willingly turned her in to the Count.

"Now you are home. But I have to ask, why did you run away and fake your death? It was very out of character for you." He asked--it absolutely outraged Lianna.

She opened her eyes then. He was handsome enough, but she hated him with every fiber of her being.

"You should not ask questions you already know the answer to."

The Count nodded, "Ah."

"Tell me. The truth. Did you not arrange to have my husband slain?"

She stared at him with a fire burning in her eyes. He saw the fire, but she was bound and she could do no harm.

"Yes."

Lianna doubled over and screamed, "Joronis!" Tears flowed freely down her face, soggy-ing her already sodden clothes. She closed her eyes tight again.

He held her up again, "Open your eyes."

After a few sobs, she whispered, "I never want to look at you ever again."

He released her.

There came an awful noise, like a bird of prey from somewhere outside.

"What the—?" The Count jumped up and looked out the slitted window.

Lianna gasped and opened her eyes, "Willyr?"


	10. Dragon Escape

Lianna's body froze while the count's was up and searching for the cause of the commotion. _Why is he here? _ She panicked; reminding herself that Willyr had said he would eat her if she ran away. She didn't run away! She was forced against her will! She doubted that he would listen to her excuse though. How had he even found her?

She made a decision then. She would rather be killed by a fascinating creature rather than be forced to live with the count that she hated.

"It's a dragon!" she shouted, clearing any confusion that the Count had.

"How can it be? Dragons don't exist!" he frowned.

"They do!" She insisted.

There was a terrible jerk in the walls then. Stones clattered to the floor. Lianna shrieked and covered her head with her arms. Her limbs were still tied together. If only her legs were free, then she could flee and jump into the dragon's mouth and save a lot of trouble. When the walls had stopped shaking, another screech was heard from outside. The Count grabbed Lianna and fled the room. Where was he taking her? Maybe he had finally figured out that a dragon really was on the outside.

They descended the staircase and back into the main hall. The guards were placing a giant wooden brace on the doors.

"What is going on?"

"A creature that could only be from Hell is outside these doors!" a guard shouted frantically, shoving all the strength he had against the door.

"A dragon?" Lianna asked.

"It is!" Another shouted.

"Impossible! And why would it attack us? We've done nothing to it!" The count demanded.

"He wants me," Lianna said.

The Count and everyone that was huddled in the room stared at her.

"He will leave if you surrender me to him," Lianna said, a bit more frantic—trying to twist out of the Count's grasp.

"Never!" he pulled her closer. She was a mere possession that he desired, and he was selfish enough to let Wendburry fall because of his selfishness.

"Do you not understand that everyone will die if you do not allow him to take me?" Lianna tried to persuade him. Hoping he would let the guilt of everything he had done to allow him to let her go. Although, he had went to a lot of trouble to retrieve her from what he thought dead. There came a slamming noise on the other side of the door. The wooden brace strained a bit, sending slivers of wood that ripped outward.

"Why is such a thing after you?" The Count must have come to terms with the fact dragons existed.

"I know his secret, and he will kill me now."

She looked at the scared faces around her. It was better to sacrifice herself for her town than to go on living. She felt that she could never love again. She closed her eyes and pictured Joronis's face. She still remembered every feature on him, every detail of his face and laugh.

Another slam on the door sent the brace cracking in half. The guards fled the door, but re-positioned themselves with their swords drawn nearby.

"Why are you so willing to forfeit your life?" The Count intruded on her memory with his cold voice. She opened her eyes and a few tears puddle into her eyes before falling down her cheeks.

"I am broken and will not be mended," she stared into his eyes with an intense hatred. Her heart was broken, and he realized by her words that she would rather die than be with him.

He closed his eyes and sighed at her defeatist attitude.

"You may be powerful but that won't always get you what you want," she glared and turned around. Expecting Willyr to burst in at any moment.

The Count grabbed her by her waist and twisted her around. She tried pushing away but he shoved his lips on hers. She shoved him with her elbow and that is when the dragon finally busted the doors off their hinges. The Dragon of the Glowing Moon hunched its long neck and placed a giant paw into the hall. The occupants screamed in terror as the giant talon scratched the marble floor, leaving a five-inch, gash in its place.

The Count pushed Lianna out toward the talon.

"Coward!" Lianna screamed. She knew he would never risk his own life, and would have everyone else be sacrificed before the danger reached him. The talon hooked onto the rope that was binding her hands. She screamed as he retracted his paw and she was drug along with it and out the doors. Her body was thrown against the gate that led to the castle.

She moaned in pain but was relieved she hadn't been knocked unconscious again. When she looked up, Willyr's pearl-eyes were staring over her. She tensed and only stared back.

The shouts of the guards removed the dragon's attention from Lianna. He turned his giant body around, nearly swiping her with his tail. The guards had swords and arrows. Why didn't he fly? Could he take all of them on by himself? This event would only end in tragedy.

"Stop! Don't!" Lianna screamed and pulled herself up, only to fall down once more because her ankles were tied together. The guards didn't seem to hear her because they kept advancing on the dragon. Willyr was growling, baring his sharp teeth in warning at the guards.

She kept pulling herself up after falling until she arrived in front of the dragon, between him and the guards.

"Stand back!" she shouted, becoming dizzy from exhaustion and hunger.

The guards halted—apprehensive—but still with their weapons drawn.

She took a breath in relief. She didn't want them to kill the dragon. Willyr might have been a monster but she felt like she couldn't bear to see the loss of such a rare creature.

The last image she saw was one of the guard's faces of horror and him pointing above her. A moment later she was thrown back onto something wet and soft. There was a complete darkness, and she couldn't see anything. The surface below her started to move, in a backward sliding motion. She screamed and crawled forward, realizing that she was in the mouth of the dragon. She knew that hundreds of sharp teeth surrounded her, and kept away from where she thought they were placed. She could tell that he was lifting off and into flight by the muffled rhythmic beatings of his wings.

Maybe she had made the choice to end it all, but she feared the pain of getting her flesh sliced.

The tongue she was sitting on did not slide again. She braced herself solidly to it, getting her palms wet and sticky. She was exhausted but she could not and would not sleep while in the mouth of a monster.

A long time of staring into the darkness of the mouth—she felt a jerk—they had landed.

The tongue rolled forward and she shouted in surprise as she saw the light of the half-moon, reflecting on the long teeth, almost as tall as her. With a quick force, she was hurled into a brook.

Her whole body was wet with either water or dragon saliva. She had never felt so disgusting in her whole life. She looked up to see Willyr looking down at her.

"Well that was fun," she said in utmost sarcasm and dunked her head in the water to get the saliva out. The water was freezing. Her body shivered, and only grew colder with the cold air hitting the moisture that covered her from head to toe.

When she pulled her head out, there was no longer a giant shadow cast over her, but a tall lean figure.

She gasped and twisted her head around to look at the change.

"I doubt that was fun for you," he said solemnly and stepped forward. He had no clothes on. The temperature was below freezing. She jumped out of the water and onto the bank. Her skin felt as if it were being stabbed with a thousand needles.

Shaking her head, and moving her eyes away from him, she asked, "How did you find me?"

"You mentioned something about 'Wendburry' and a 'Count'. Besides it was easy to follow horse tracks that led away from the cottage," he shrugged, and then looked at her shivering form.

"I thought you were going to eat me," she whispered, almost disappointed.

"No, I just kept you in my mouth because it was warmer than carrying you through icy wind." His expression was unreadable. He started towards her, splashing through the brook.

"What are you doing?" she asked alarmed, blushing at the sight of his human assets.

"I'm going to untie you. Unless, you want to stay bound?" He leaned down and she felt his fingers start tugging at the rope, as if he already knew her answer—no.

Not too long after, her wrists separated freely. She winced when she saw they were rubbed raw from all the resistance she put up against the bounty hunter and the Count.

"You need to get these clothes off—" Willyr pinched the wet material of her dress between his fingers.

"Why?" she demanded, suspiciously. She inherently thought of the Count and his sly way of being suggestive.

"They're more of a hindrance than help at this point. You will develop a cold or some other sickness if you remain in them."

She took a look at him and saw he wasn't being suggestive, just concerned.

"Won't I freeze to death?"

"No."

She raised an eyebrow but started taking her arm out of one of her sleeves.

"Not right here!" he frowned and then pointed to the very same cottage they were in the night before. It was a few feet behind her, through the trees. She blushed once more and put her arm back into her sleeve.

They entered the tiny cottage, and Willyr immediately began to start a fire. Lianna managed to escape her soggy dress. She was relieved that her pack was where she had left it. She dug through it—looking for a dry garment—and found one.

Willyr had started a fire that immediately warmed the room up.

"Why did you save me?"

"You know a secret of the fey. I can't have you blabbing it to your countrymen."

Lianna huffed—he had a total misconception of her.

"How is your head?"

"Why do you care?" she snapped.

His pearly eyes looked elsewhere, and his eyebrows knotted in a sad fashion.

She huffed again and flopped into the bed, which was slightly slanted because of when the bounty hunter had leapt on it.

"You should probably put on a pair of breeches, I can tell you are cold," she smiled slightly and he looked down into his lap in alarm. Her smile widened into an amused grin and she rolled over to sleep off her horrid day.

--

--

Alys watched closely as Telonge flirted with the young woman at the front counter of the inn. He had a bright smile, that was no doubt charming but she wondered if his odd personality would flaw his attempt to be charming.

The girl smiled uncertainly. Perhaps she could tell there was just something off about Telonge as a human.

He eventually returned to Alys's table with food.

She grabbed up the bowl of soup and slurped like it could at any moment, be taken away.

Telonge laughed amused, but didn't touch his food. _That is expected_, Alys thought.

"So, what is it that Selendrile needs to tell me?" Alys asked.

Telonge's smile dropped and he looked her over startled, "What are you talking about?"

"You asked me if Selendrile had told me something. What was it?"

He shook his blonde head and said, "Sorry, don't know what you're talking about."

Alys slammed down her soup bowl, quite irritated.

People in the room stared at them. Telonge ignored them and merely yawned. He stretched his arms over his head carelessly.

"Tell me!"

"You're a bit odd in the head," Telonge remarked and stood to go to the room they had bought for the night. All day long Alys had to follow the lunatic dragon-youth while he hummed songs that she never heard of. He sometimes belted out words that were gibberish. He always seemed to be laughing—even if there was nothing to laugh at. He would laugh at trees blowing in the wind. How dare he say _SHE_ was odd in the head!

She sighed at his antics. Well, at least he fed her—for that she was grateful. She entered the room and found him fast asleep on the bed.

She felt her fists clench. She had told him earlier that she was taking the bed at the inn! Now he was asleep and she would have to make best of the uncomfortable floor. She tugged the blanket out from under him, which he only protested with a loud snore. She couldn't wait until they found Selendrile. A few more days with Telonge and she would likely loose her wits.

--

A/N- Thanks for reading! :)


	11. Dragon Victim

A/N- I had a question after I posted the last chapter about how to pronounce 'Willyr' and the way (in my mind) it is said as 'Will-yir'. In case anyone was wondering about pronunciation of 'Telonge,' I think it as 'Teel-onj.' Just so you know : )

Also I'm giving more credit to the game Oblivion for all my mage referencing.

--

--

_Eons ago…_

When Varisca was fully healed from her wounds, she decided to stay with Luthor. She had nowhere to go anyway, being poor and a peasant. Besides, he was a smart man and could teach her many things.

While they were still residing in the tower, he taught her how trap and skin rabbits. She even cooked the rabbit meat for their meals—at least she could provide some use.

She really wanted to learn how to command magic though, but despaired, thinking that only certain people had the special ability. For a while she put her plan of revenge out of her head, focusing on the happier things. They left the tower when spring came. There were blossoms on the trees and they walked along the traveled roads to wherever he was planning to go. Their first stop was in Borgath, the northern city.

Borgath had a mage guild that Luthor and Varisca stayed in during their visit. The mages were quiet, studious, and reserved in their manners. Varisca rather preferred the tower to the guild. Luthor was all smiles, though, for he was in the company of the master of destruction—Drunan—and one of the handsomest men both of them had ever seen.

Varisca would have rather learned the magic of destruction than the magic of healing. She sat in the guild day after day, watching the mages study or experiment in alchemy. She took notice of how they concentrated into nothing and pulled magic from nowhere but themselves.

Unfortunately for Luthor, Drunan was attracted to females—more so to Varisca than any other female in the guild.

"You are not a mage, are you?" Drunan spoke to her one day, nearly startling her skin off. No one but Luthor had ever really talked to her while they were in the guild.

"I am not." She sighed sadly, and then had a thought, "But I wish I could be."

Drunan smiled ever so charmingly at her comment. "Anyone can become a mage. There is magic in the air, and in the rain, and everywhere you can possibly go. All you need to do is learn how to harness it and command it."

Varisca was very surprised at his comment. She never would have suspected that she was able to command magic. "Would you teach me?"

Drunan was very happy to oblige. From that moment on, revenge returned to Varsica's heart—for now she had a way to extract it.

When the blossoms wilted off the trees, and the air became warmer, Luthor decided to continue on. Varisca went loyally with him and Drunan followed. Luthor was very happy to have Drunan along with them at first, but after awhile he noticed the way Drunan interacted with the young girl. Varisca had gorgeous, wavy, brown hair and an impressive female figure and Drunan appreciated it. The two would laugh and disappear together at times, for long hours, leaving Luthor suspicious and lonely.

Varisca thought Drunan a handsome man but she was not emotionally ready to love. Her mind only wanted revenge on the fey that destroyed her family. So she was oblivious to Drunan's flirting and only picked up on his teachings of destruction magic, which was the only thing that mattered to her.

By autumn she could cast electricity through her body and project it to where she aimed her open palm. By winter she could do the same with flame and frost. She was by no means a master like Drunan but she was powerful enough to cause some damage. Drunan told her that practice would better her abilities.

They stayed in the Imperial City that winter, near the university. She noticed that her dear friend Luthor was becoming more morose by the week. She had not told him that she was learning to be a mage, for she feared he would disapprove.

"What is wrong?" she asked Luthor one day.

"I will be alone forever," he pouted.

"Nonsense you have me!" she laughed lightly and patted him on the back in comfort.

"No, because you have Drunan,"

"Drunan?" Varisca laughed, surprised at Luthor's remark.

"Yes, you two are always together. It is clear you have become lovers during our journey."

Varisca laughed even more at the silliness of it. She shook her head back and forth. "We are not lovers."

"Then why is he always making advances on you?"

That was news to her.

"He is?"

Luthor smiled at Varisca's naivety. "I think he loves you."

"No. No that can't be, he is only teaching me…"

Luthor frowned, "Teaching you? Teaching you _what_?"

Varisca looked at the ground. She swallowed, "Destruction magic."

She quickly looked up to see Luthor's expression—the exact one she feared—objection to her newfound knowledge. His brows were knotted and there was disappointment in his eyes.

"Why do you look at me so?" she cried.

"That is dangerous magic. You are very young, and you could end up destroying something dear to you."

She noted his worried frown but disagreed with him about how she was too young. "I can already cast all three types of destruction! Drunan tells me I am the best student he's ever seen."

"The man loves you, of course he would tell you such things!" Luthor shouted, embittered at the thought.

Varisca sighed, "I will continue to learn, I need to know…"

"Know what?"

"I just need to know!" she snapped. Deep within her a rage was building. She saw her brother and her father, and her mother. They had been screaming for help. The Dragon of the Shining Sun refused to hear them. Moshire was the one that sentenced her family to death. She had survived and her purpose was to take all of them down. They were overgrown lizards with a power complex and were going to be destroyed. She was going to destroy them. She left the room to think.

After what Luthor told her, she finally did take notice of Drunan's advances. He would graze his fingers along her arm and whisper into her ear when he trained her. She was greatly flattered that a master like him would take interest in her, but she just couldn't return his affections.

"Varisca, you are have an amazing talent for commanding magic," he said to her one morning while she sat in the city gardens. They were a few minutes walk from where the trio had been staying. Though the plants and trees were barren, leaving their branches and vines lifeless, she felt at ease there. She was mourning the loss of her family a year prior. Much had changed. She no longer had the patience, love, nor serenity she used to possess. As she sat on the bench she closed her eyes to promise herself that she would destroy the fey, no matter how long it took. She had woken up early that day and didn't notice Drunan's approach.

She jumped at his voice, "I did not know you had followed me."

"I would follow you to the end of the Earth," he smiled and sat with her.

She smiled a sad smile and turned away. "That's not necessary."

Drunan's grin dropped at her remark, "What do you mean?"

"You have taught me what I need to know. I thank you for your knowledge but I don't think there's any other subject besides destruction that you can teach me."

"Is that all I am to you?" he asked, startled.

"What else can you be?"

There was a distinct look of heartbreak in his face. She disliked to cause him hurt but he would only be more hurt at the realization she could not love him.

"Ah," he sighed, realizing nonetheless.

"I'm sorry Drunan," she said quietly. She noticed he had a package in his hands. She looked at it curiously and then saw it was meant for her. "I'm so sorry."

He took a breath to ease his growing disappointment—a tight place in his chest. He handed it to her anyway. "I found it in one of the shops in the city, I thought of you."

He stood quickly and walked away.

She pressed her lips together, feeling bad for poor Drunan, and opened the small box. Inside was a necklace with a green colored amulet. It was a very lovely gift. She fastened it around her neck and tucked it into her dress. She whispered "Thank you" into the icy air.

--

--

Drunan had departed, she soon found out. When she arrived back at where they were staying Luthor told her what had happened.

"I fear you have broken that man's heart."

"He shouldn't have loved me. I didn't do anything worth falling in love with," she huffed in frustration and collapsed into a chair.

"You don't have to _do_ anything to be loved. You can be loved for who you are."

"I am a poor, peasant orphan. There's hardly anything to love about that," she snapped.

"Dear, you must be hormonal. You're quite unpleasant this morning," Luthor said quite calmly, dismissing her sass.

Varisca just huffed and asked him when they were leaving the city. He told her when the snow melted.

They were to travel to the mage guild of Alvale when they came across a body in the road.

Luthor stepped back startled when they saw it. Varisca was more curious as to if it was alive or dead. She approached it, and found it was a human man, and he was barely alive. In a way, he reminded Varisca of herself when once upon a year ago she was curled up on death's doorstep. Actually, it was Luthor's doorstep.

"Come help him, he's alive," Varisca turned around and made a motion to come forward.

Luthor approached, "He is wearing rather unusual clothing."

"Isn't that what they wear in the south?" she held a piece of his garment between her fingers. It felt silky but yet looked like it were made of burlap.

"I have never seen it," Luthor shrugged and bent over to help the man. He placed his hand over the man's forehead and started to chant incantations, starting to command healing magic.

After a few seconds, Varisca saw the man's eyes open. He looked confused and then focused on Luthor.

"Get back! Heathen!" The man screamed and jumped up alarmingly fast for just having been near death.

Luthor pulled away, startled. "What's the matter with you?"

The man pulled out a dagger and held it in front of him.

"You are one of them! Using witchcraft to do unnatural things!" he shouted, eyes darting back and forth between the girl and man.

"He was trying to save your life!" Varisca stepped forward but the man pointed his dagger at her. She gasped and froze. Luthor realized the man was capable to do something irrational and could hurt someone, so he made a grab for the man while his attention was on Varisca.

Varisca saw Luthor's advance and when her eyes moved, the man turned as well and threw his dagger at Luthor. The dagger spun in a circle in a blur and pierced through Luthor's chest.

Varisca screamed and the man took a few steps back, stumbled and fell onto the road.

Luthor grabbed the handle of the dagger and fell as well.

"Luthor!" Varisca knelt by his side.

"Dear one," he sighed, taking deep breaths in and out.

"Can you heal yourself?"

"Unfortunately, it is hard to remember incantations when there's a blade through my lung." He grimaced and then smiled.

She thought she had lost the ability to cry after her family's death, but nonetheless tears formed and blurred her vision. Blood was staining his tunic, but that seemed trivial compared to his last breath. His body spasmed and his eyes went dark. Varisca's tears fell onto Luthor and she hugged him. At least she got to hug him goodbye, her family only burned.

He was a great man, and probably no mage in the world could rival his healing skill.

Only a few moments after the feeling of loss, Varisca became enraged. She stood and turned around to see the deranged killer running away. She started after him in a sprint. She was lighter and younger so it didn't take long before she was at his heels. With a mighty scream she leapt onto him and the rolled along the field until she had him pinned.

"WHY? He was only trying to save your life!! He is dead because of you!!" She screamed through gritted teeth and slammed his head down over and over by grabbing his collar.

"Ma'am, his actions no matter how selfless, are not condoned by the lord God. God does not tolerate forces of the unnatural." The man retorted, covering his face, which was bleeding.

"What are you babbling about?" she stopped slamming his head.

"The new order. The order of the _church_." He said. His voice was filled with such smugness, and he had just killed a kind and wonderful man just because of this…this…establishment he was a part of? She released him and he stood, suspiciously. He had no more weapons—Varisca was sure—so she closed her eyes and began to recite the words to call destruction to her command. The man's eyes widened and all he could do was turn around and run as fast as he could. It was futile. After a few meters, Varisca's eyes snapped open and a rage burning brighter than the dragonfires could be seen in them. A volt of electricity charged out of her open palms, aimed at the man, and he fell dead. His body was hidden in the grass but there was smoke rising from where he had fallen.

She felt no remorse for killing him. Hopefully the order of the church would see it couldn't eliminate all who didn't fit its ideology. She hurried back to Luthor's body and wished she had the strength to carry it to Alvale to be buried. Instead she began digging into the earth with vigor. It took a day and a half, but she dug a grave in which to bury her friend. All that marked it was a few rocks in the shape of a star. If she still had faith in the Fey, then she would have prayed to Telonge—Dragon of the Sparkling Stars—for Luthor's good luck in the afterlife. Instead, she closed her eyes and said, "You shall always heal me."

--

--

Varisca made her way back to Luthor's tower since she had nowhere else to go. She liked to take comfort in the presence he had left. She trapped animals to keep from starving and never went out to the cities. She busied her days reading Luthor's vast collection of mage encyclopedias. She taught herself how to command the other kinds of magic. She could destroy, and heal, conjure and mystify. She picked wildflowers and fruits in the summer to practice recipes in the large book alchemy he had.

Once she was satisfied with her knowledge of how to do all magical things, she decided to go out. It usually took a person an entire lifetime just to master a certain magic ability, but she had mastered them all. She was still young, and had a whole life ahead of her. It seemed like she was at Luthor's tower for years and years but she never kept track of time. It only must have been a year or so, because she was still eighteen or nineteen.

She took the route to Prition that would lead past her old home, the one that Moshire had destroyed. She expected to see a charred shack or charred ground from the dragonfire but she never came upon any shack or char. Perhaps she had gone the wrong way? She soon came upon Prition, and remembered it was rumored to be with sickness. However there were two guards at the gate and they waved cheerily at her when she approached.

"Is everyone well?" She inquired, suspiciously.

They looked at one another and shrugged, "We're as well as can be."

"I mean the city. The sickness has ended, yes?"

The looked at each other again, confused.

"Prition is healthy. I don't think there's been an outbreak for at least 200 years."

She nodded; well then, it looked like the sickness was just a rumor after all. "I'm glad to hear that."

They let her inside the city, and as they left, one said "God be with you."

She stopped moving forward. The man that killed Luthor had mentioned 'God'. Could it be that his order of the Church had prevailed? She resolved not to do any magic until she figured it out. Prition had a mage guild she was aware of, and she sought out after it.

"Excuse me, ma'am but do you know where the mage hall is?" she asked a lady who was walking by.

"_Is?_ It _was_ over on the next street but they converted it into a priory about 50 years ago."

"What's a priory?"

The woman looked at her strange.

"It's where the prior lives."

"So where are the mages?"

Now the woman looked at her as if she were deranged.

"They were chased out as soon as Prition took in the Church's ways."

Varisca gasped, so the Church _had_ prevailed. How could the mages be conquered so easily? It didn't make sense though. It was just three years ago, Varisca and her family visited Prition for the market days and it was still pagan. The woman had said Prition was in the Church's order for at least 50 years.

_How long has it been?_ She wondered. No magic cast on one's self could halt aging, it was a fact. Yet, it must have been quite a long time that she was in the tower. She grasped the green amulet and tried to think of the reason why she wasn't old. She gasped all of a sudden, _the amulet_. She didn't know for sure but had a good idea that the amulet was the cause of her lasting youth.

"What about the Fey?" she blurted—hoping she still had the chance to destroy them before the church did.

"They're still around. Fighting with the armies of the King. He wants the kingdom cleansed of all unnatural filth. Someday they will all be gone." With that said, the lady left—shaking her head.

Varisca might have not known how long it had been since Luthor's death, but she knew without a doubt she was going to go to the King and make sure she was the one to destroy Moshire.


	12. Dragon Spat

Alys soon came to find out that the dragon-youth; Telonge was just as hard to get answers from as Selendrile. He would always answer her inquiries but did it in a way that confused her even more.

"When are we going to arrive in the Imperial City?" she would ask.

"The time that takes us to get there," he replied.

She asked the same question the next day.

"If not a month, a few days," was his answer that time.

"Why did he go there in the first place?" Alys kicked a small pebble that was visible above the snow. It arced and landed behind Telonge.

"You should ask him," he replied. He then looked at the pebble curiously.

"Do you know?"

"Perhaps."

"Why won't you tell me?"

"I did," he nodded and continued forward, seeming to think of new ways to entertain himself.

Alys sighed. She had one more question for the day before she could go completely insane from his uninformative answers.

"Why did he tell me to go to _you_?"

"Because I was the closest and he promised he would come home if I agreed to protect you in case anything happened to him." Telonge said and then stopped walking, opened his mouth and breathed into the air. The vapor was a wispy white on the cold breeze. His cheeks were rosy and he turned his head to smile at Alys.

_Home? He actually had a home_? Alys was a bit embittered—she did not have one. She even wondered how Selendrile managed to give Telonge a message, she never recalled them meeting before.

"What do I need protection from? If something happened to Selendrile, then how could he return to your home?"

"Well," Telonge stopped blowing vapor into the air above him and paused. He looked as if he were thinking too hard. "He's alive. So we're going to go rescue him. Then he will come home. You need protection from wolves and other beasties in the woods, because you are quite a small human."

"How do you know he is alive?" she ignored his comment about beasties and her humanity. Of course dragons thought humans were 'little.'

"I would know if he was destroyed. He isn't though. That's why he is alive."

"If Selendrile were alive, then wouldn't he be able to handle himself and escape wherever he was being held captive?"

"Not unless he is in iron." Telonge's ever-present smile was suddenly wiped away and he shivered a little at the thought.

Alys shivered a little too. It was cold and she remembered Selendrile's body and how it reacted once it was bound with iron last spring. He could barely breathe let alone walk.

"How can we rescue him?" She realized she was asking more questions than she intended, but it was nice that Telonge was giving coherent answers for once.

"I don't know what _you_ can do but I can be a dragon. I can breathe flame and fly and crush humans in my jaw, and I shall…to save the prince." He listed off his magnificent deadly abilities on his fingers. "I told the others yesterday and they will be there to help. All we need to do is to get him home or else…"

He stopped talking and walking and smiled big at the figure approaching at the fork in the road. Alys looked at them surprised because she hadn't heard any sign of them previously. No crunching snow beneath weight, or snapping twigs in the forest.

There was a man, about as tall as Telonge but looking eighteen instead of twenty. He had floppy bark colored hair and was dressed in huntsmen boots and a long, brown leather jacket.

"I forgot about your message until this morning, figured you were nearby by the smell of you." He said to Telonge. Alys stood away from them, suspicious. Did dragons have human friends? Well, she did consider Selendrile somewhat of a friend, and _she_ was a human. She had been traveling with the Dragon of the Stars for nearly three days and never noticed an odd stench or whatever the stranger spoke of. She then stole a glance at the strange, new man and then realized what he was.

She held her breath amazed, for his eyes were as green and as sparkling as emeralds because they _were_ emeralds.

"Sweetcake, this is Thalen." Telonge pointed at the man. His introductions were quite to the point.

"That her?" he nodded. She saw a familiar flick in the emeralds. It reminded her all the world of Selendrile.

"Yes."

Thalen nodded, accepting. "You're a regular stick," he looked her over.

"Excuse me?" Alys was offended. Her body had become the image of her constant hunger.

"Just saying so," he shrugged, not looking back.

Telonge was chuckling.

"Don't laugh!"

"I was chuckling. There is a difference. There are many kinds of laughs…" Telonge announced. Alys had a feeling he was about to start a long, nonsensical speech.

"You just said that chuckling is a kind of laugh!" She managed to deter him.

Now Telonge really did laugh, "At least I _do_ laugh. Thalen never does."

"There's nothing to laugh about in the first place," Thalen defended himself but in a nonchalant way.

"I should laugh at you. How could you forget the message? Was it because you were busying yourself with human lasses and ale last night?"

Alys ears perked at Telonge's words. What was he implying? That Dragons really could love humans?

"None of your business. Leave me be. In fact I'd rather you not talk to me the rest of the way to the Imperial City." Thalen was very sour in his words. They didn't daunt Telonge any, who treated Thalen's mood as if it were a joke.

He didn't talk anymore to Thalen but continued to blow his warm breath into the air and laugh out amused-like when it was no longer visible. Alys could see that Thalen, however quiet, was immensely annoyed at the other dragon-youth.

She restrained herself from interrogating the new stranger. She was somewhat daunted by his presence. Granted, he was of the same kind as Telonge—but Telonge was as a scary as strawberry. Alys didn't _dislike_ Telonge for his constant jolliness and nonsensical humor; she just grew tired of it after so many hours. She felt he didn't take Selendrile's situation seriously—especially if he wanted him back home so urgently. _Home_, it rang as a far away word in Alys head, _Where ever that is_.

The trio walked silently through the snowy forest--the only sound was Telonge's chuckle whenever he found himself amused.

Thalen moved steadily, with a sort of swagger that a human man would. He must have thought himself important. She realized it was how Gower walked through St. Toby's. _Ugh_, Alys thought.

She looked to the side of her and saw something through the trees…a path!

"Hey look!" she said, and then ran towards it. It wasn't just a path, but a road! She sighed happily, glad to be out of the blasted wilderness and tired of the two dragon-youths being the only assurance they were heading in the right direction.

Telonge and Thalen eventually caught up to her.

"Wonder where we are?" Telonge asked out loud.

Alys hoped he was joking. If he wasn't, she had to be rightfully angry that she had followed him all this way when he didn't know where they were going.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"On the road," Thalen said, which wasn't a helpful answer.

The continued in the direction they were headed, but on the road this time.

Telonge soon started whistling tunes that Alys didn't recognize—it was his newest way to pass the time.

Telonge and Thalen hadn't spoken since earlier that day when they first met, but Alys could see a twitch in Thalen's eye at the whistling and guessed the silence would end soon.

It had been gray all day, no sun to even warm their skin—so Alys only grumbled when snow began to languidly fall. Such a gloomy day, which didn't begin to match Telonge's upbeat whistling.

"Enough!" Thalen spun around. His scowl was something to take seriously. Telonge paused mid whistle with a raised eyebrow. She watched the two stare at each other as snowflakes gathered in their hair and on their shoulders. Telonge's lips cracked into a smile and then reformed to blow a single note.

Thalen grabbed Telonge by the shirt and shoved him backwards. Telonge lost footing in the snow and fell onto his back and that's When Thalen made a move to leap on him.

"Stop!" Alys demanded but of course no dragon ever did as she said. Almost immediately she saw a mass of bronze scales, talons, and teeth emerge from what had just been the human skin of Telonge. Since Thalen was in mid-air when Telonge transformed, he very well couldn't do any damage in his current skin. To Alys's amazement, he changed to dragon just before the two giant bodies collided and skidded across the road, and into the forest. Snow and upturned earth were piled on either side of them from the deep path they carved.

Thalen was a large green dragon—she saw as they stopped rolling—but they became a blur again. They were clawing and biting at one another. She hoped they wouldn't kill each other. If that, then how was she going to find Selendrile?

Suddenly, Telonge seemed to disappear. The green dragon twisted around wildly in confusion. Alys was startled when a yellow cat silently approached her, jumped into her arms, and started purring loudly.

The green dragon noticed this and let out a roar of anger. He turned fully and transformed back to human.

Alys tried to divert her gaze as best as she could as Thalen stood in front of her.

"You…" he growled and forcefully grabbed the cat out of her hands by its neck, "…are a coward."

"What did _I _do?" she squeaked, fearing his wrath.

"Not you."

She realized that the cat was Telonge. He dropped Telonge into the snow and Telonge _meowed_, which was probably the feline equivalent to a laugh.

Alys sighed when she noticed the pile of cloth pieces in the road—how were they going to find clothes now that they were done with their spat?

She ran her remark by Thalen who shrugged and also transformed into a cat. Although, he was fluffy and brown. She was completely puzzled. The two dragon-youth-as-felines began to continue down the same road on their paws. Was she to follow? At least Telonge had stopped his annoying whistling. Dragons were strange, and why were they cats all of a sudden? A fierce wind blew and Alys tightened her cloak. It didn't even seem to bother the furry ones. _Ah, since they ruined their clothes, they're warmer that way, _Alys understood.

Further down the road, they came to a city. It wasn't the Imperial City, for it was too small and Alys couldn't see the tower Selendrile had spoke of before.

She cast a glance at her furry companions, who had been every so often, pouncing on each other and then hissing. There was only one guard posted at the gate and he looked absolutely shaken.

"Hello," Alys greeted and approached him.

"Good day," he tipped his head, but his eyes were scanning the horizon.

"What city is this?"

The guard finally glanced at her, looked at her suspiciously as if whether or not he should answer.

He must have thought her somewhat safe because he did answer.

"Wendburry."


	13. Dragon Cabin

"Wendburry?" Alys repeated, unsure if she was hearing correctly. If they were truly at Wendburry, that meant they were only on the other side of Griswold, which meant she had traveled in a big circle the past week and was nowhere close to getting to Selendrile. She was in the company of two immature dragon-felines, and upon all of those misfortunes, she was freezing.

She felt like crying but was too proud to do so in front of a guard and the disguised dragons.

"Can you suggest the cheapest inn?" Alys sighed. It was getting dark and with the darkness came even more coldness.

"Unfortunately, the inns of Wendburry are being rented out by the Count for himself and the guards. A terrible occurrence happened yesterday and the castle Wendburry was partially destroyed. I suggest heading back to Griswold for a decent inn, that or else find a family kind enough to set you up for the night. Sorry miss."

Before the disappointment could form into her face, her curiosity cut in. "What happened to the castle?"

The guard shifted his position, "A dragon destroyed it."

Alys didn't expect such an answer. Which dragon? Why? She held those questions back so the guard wouldn't think her suspicious. She heard one of the cats meow loudly. It was Thalen—he was sniffing the air with his little pink nose and twitching whiskers. Telonge meowed as well and Alys bid the guard farewell and went towards the cats.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Then she realized she was talking to a pair of cats and it made her look silly. She was reminded of Hildy's old grandmother and how she had many cats around her cottage. Hildy's grandmother had gotten stranger and stranger by the years. Once, Risa and her saw the old lady talking to her cats and laughed about it.

The two cats leaped off their paws and into the woods.

"Wait!" Alys cried. She picked up her skirts and darted after them. It was getting hard to see with hardly any light. She could only tell where she was going by the quick, cat-like movements through the trees. It was hard to breathe the cold air while running. She felt as though her lungs would burst any moment. Where were they going and why the hurry? She stopped running as she approached them. They were sitting in the snow and staring at a white wolf. The wolf made no effort to attack the cats. She found it quite odd because it almost seemed as if they were communicating. The wolf had a rabbit carcass in its mouth already.

The wolf's attention focused on Alys and she held her breath, fearing it might attack as the wolf did the night Selendrile led his scent back to Tierbo. The wolf sniffed the air and then turned around and walked away. The cats followed it, and Alys had no choice but to follow as well.

It must have been three quarters of an hour later before they came to a clearing. Alys's face felt frozen solid. In fact, most of her felt frozen. She was shivering so hard, her stomach hurt and her fingers had been numb the whole time.

Then she saw the small cabin, and a faint firelight coming from the window. She willed her legs to move faster to get there sooner. The wolf pawed on the door and it opened. The cats followed it in. How strange. Was it a tame wolf? Did it belong to someone?

She pushed the door open a crack and peeked in. Warmth gently caressed her cheeks and she felt her lips smile from what seemed a lifetime of being frozen in place.

"Come in," she heard Telonge's voice. He must have changed back into human.

He was probably naked, because he had ruined his last pair of clothes.

Instead he was wrapped in a blanket. Thalen was pulling on a pair of breeches as she popped her head in. The rabbit carcass was on the table, and there was no wolf.

Instead, a young blind man with dark hair.

The biggest shock came to her when she saw a woman sitting on the bed. The woman was Lianna.

"Miss Lianna!?" Alys cried alarmed.

"You!" she gasped, just as surprised.

"I have your book," Alys said right away and took her pack off her back.

"I could write my own book after what I've seen. You seem to be collecting a fellowship of dragons my dear."

"What?"

"These two are obviously…fey" She darted her eyes towards Telonge and Thalen, "and I've met one of my own. So where is the first, the prince, your _husband_?"

Alys's brain was only beginning to thaw at Lianna's inquiries. How had she known? Alys never told her that Dragon's could transform, and what other dragon was she speaking of?

"You don't have to answer, she is not involved in this," the young blind man intervened before Alys could open her mouth.

"Like hell I'm not," Lianna snapped at him. "If I am not involved then let me be free. You have who you want now, so I am of no use."

"True, you could always eat her," Thalen spoke with a chilling calm.

"I like sheep," Telonge offered, but most ignored him.

"You are staying put. I told you, it is a risk to us if you are out there," the young blind man said. Alys understood he was the unknown dragon Lianna spoke of. His eyes were trickier, they were pure white and at a closer look they were clearly focused on Lianna.

"What is _his_ name?" Alys nudged Telonge and nodded at the other dragon.

"Oh. That's Willyr. He's shy." He looked at the other dragon-youth with an unsure smile and then sat in front of the fireplace—huddled in the blanket.

"And I told _you_ I wouldn't betray your kind. Even so, Dragons are the hardest creatures to destroy—your hide is thicker and more protective than chain mail—so what are you so fearful of?"

Willyr gave a worried look to Thalen who looked away toward Telonge.

Telonge's opals had a nervousness reach them, but none of them said anything more.

"It's your fault she's here anyway. You tried your idea of separating the girl from the Prince and luring him home but you grabbed the wrong girl. Why didn't you just sit and wait?" Thalen glared at the white-eyed dragon-youth.

Upon that remark, Lianna grabbed the rabbit carcass off the table and started skinning it herself since Willyr was now distracted arguing with Thalen.

Alys moved herself nearer, to talk to her.

"What happened to you?"

"I was kidnapped. He thought I was you." She explained bitterly and cutting the rabbit skin roughly in her frustration.

"I'm sorry," Alys was truly sincere . She would never wish dragon companionship on any one—it was too complex and mysterious.

"Well, some good came out of him, I guess. He thoroughly frightened the dreadful Count of Wendburry." Alys saw Lianna smile—the first time that night. "But you have much to explain, and I don't think I ever caught your name."

"I'm Alys."

"Hopefully we both get out of this alive, Alys."

"Yes, hopefully," Alys sighed—the first time in a while at least—and turned her attention back onto the squabbling dragon-youths.

"We have to be quick. No one knows how long until…" the dragon—Willyr—was making a point but she had enough of their evasive answers and following them in circles.

"Listen. All of you. I don't care what's going on, or how you feel, or how much is at stake. All I want is to help Selendrile. Now, it seems that this is your goal as well so would it be correct to assume you will all help me?"

Telonge was grinning and nodding. Thalen was silent and unmoving ,as was Willyr. Lianna stood with her back to them with her arms crossed, unhappy.

"We will help you," Willyr said after a long silence, "But you must help us as well."

"How?"

"When we retrieve our Prince you must be the one to convince him to go home. He will not listen to us, and it is vital that he return in a timely manner."

Alys blinked a couple times after hearing the seriousness, and stress in his voice.

Where was this _home_? If Selendrile left, would he ever come back? Would she be completely and utterly alone if he agreed how could she deliberately send him away?

So, of course, Alys had to blurt the question on her mind, "Why?"

Thalen was the one to answer, "Because if he doesn't, he will be the doom of us all."


	14. Dragon Fears

Thalen's answer was foreboding to say the least. Was the situation just too complicated to fathom or was her head too simple to comprehend it?

"Why don't you just fly to get there faster?" Lianna looked up from preparing the rabbit.

When none of them answered, she smiled knowingly. "What is it that you fey fear?"

"I'm not afraid of anything," Thalen stated.

"Are you afraid of the powers that hold the Prince of Dragons?"

"Do you know something?" Willyr narrowed his pearly eyes.

Alys was curious too—What was Lianna implying?

"Only that dragons are mighty and for the Prince to be held somewhere takes a great deal of power. Also, I know that the Queen had sent out her soldiers to investigate dragon sightings. The Queen has power, so therefore she must be in possession of your Prince."

"Well, we _knew_ that," Telonge chuckled.

Lianna gave him a look of doubt.

"_I _knew that," Alys added.

"Alright then, if you know that, then you know that three dragons can vanquish an army with ease. So again, what is it that frightens you?" Lianna prodded.

That made sense to Alys. There seemed to be something keeping them from simply flying over the imperial city and breaking Selendrile out.

"Sasinna," it was a whisper from Telonge.

Alys's eyes narrowed and she asked, "How can you be afraid of her? She's dead."

Willyr shook his head, "Yes, yes, but they killed her."

"Who?"

"No one knows. Her bones were found outside the Imperial City. We just have clues. Do you realize that is damn near impossible for a mortal to _kill fey_? That's why Selendrile foolishly went to the Imperial City without us, to seek his revenge."

_Finally!_ Alys thought. _A straight answer_.

"Is he in danger?" she asked but knew in her heart that her stubborn and strong dragon companion was.

"Of course he is!" Willyr confirmed her fears.

"This is ridiculous!" Lianna shouted, pointing a piece of raw rabbit meat at them all. Three dragon-youths narrowed their jeweled eyes at her. "If there were a dragon even near the Imperial City I would have known about it!"

Willyr bit back a smirk, "Were you even alive five hundred years ago?"

Lianna's face grew puzzled at his remark.

"Tell me, is the queen beautiful even as she grows older?"

"Yes, she is very lovely…"

"Have you ever noticed any jewelry on her that would look to be made of ivory?"

"I have seen a bracelet with ivory charms she wears…"

"_Those_ would be made from Sasinna's _teeth_," he glared. When Lianna didn't understand the connection he sighed. "The queen remains beautiful because she possesses a rare fey charm. The bracelet was made long ago after Sasinna was murdered and passed down through her family. So perhaps the Queen thirsts for more fey charms to keep her younger, healthier, luckier, whatever she desires. That's why she is searching for more dragons."

"Oh," Lianna said meekly and dropped the rabbit meat in the pot.

Alys grabbed her cloak and left the small shack, upset. Her stomach nearly turned when Willyr described Sasinna's parts being used for petty human interests. Selendrile had loved her, and parts of her teeth were dangling from the Queen's wrist. He must have never had any clue to who had done Sasinna in until he heard about the Queen's quest in Tierbo. She pulled her cloak tighter.

"You must be cold," she heard a voice filled with amusement.

"Telonge…go back inside. All you have is a blanket," she did not turn to face him.

"Yes but I have thick skin no matter what shape I turn."

Alys absentmindedly nodded at his comment.

"You know, Selendrile was not always the sullen, dark creature he is now."

Alys turned her head ever so slightly with intrigue, "How did he used to be then?"

"He was merry. He liked to laugh, and of course I was his favorite of the seven since I amused him so much. In the Realm, we would take on smaller forms and dance to the fairy music with our mates. Then we would threaten the fairies, and it seemed like a dream or a game—I can't remember which."

Alys took his words in and her imagination couldn't even begin to fathom Selendrile dancing. "You jest."

"That I do, all the time, but not now."

Alys shook her head, not sure if he was tricking her. He had no reason to. "So you have a mate too?"

"Jacinda, she awaits me in the Realm."

"_The Realm_ is your homeland?"

"Rabbit is ready!" They heard Lianna shout from the doorway of the shack.

"Come eat!" Telonge jovially chirped and grabbed her hand. Alys was annoyed; she had caught Telonge in a sense of seriousness and was interrupted. She gathered more information from him when he was serious.

There were a few scraps of meat. The rabbit that wolf-Willyr had caught was not the most plump. Fortunately the dragon-youths were not interested in the rabbit. While Lianna and Alys ate, all three of them walked outside. Alys heard the familiar sound of scales and talons emerging from flesh and knew what was going on. Lianna didn't.

"What the…" she gasped after the noises were done and rushed outside.

What Lianna saw were a green, bronze, and white dragon surrounding the tiny shack, and curled up in a peaceful slumber.

"They have to turn into dragons at least once a day, don't ask me why," Alys explained coming to her side to witness the scene.

"How strange."

They finished what was left of the rabbit and decided to share the bed for warmth and better comfort. Lianna threw another piece of wood on the fire. Then they were in the crooked bed, the covers to their chins.

"Dragons," Lianna grunted underneath her breath.

"I know," Alys replied, shutting her eyes.

"Are they always so..?"

"Yes."

"And never…?"

"Yes."

"Are you fond of Selendrile, Alys?"

Her eyes snapped open, about to deny it, but she stopped herself and thought more on the issue. "I am, very much."

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The next morning, Telonge and Thalen were happy to learn that there were extra

men's clothes in the cabin. Although the clothes didn't fit perfectly, and this garnered chuckles from the two ladies, they still looked handsome enough to charm the clothes off a married woman. Una would have been too delighted at the sight of them.

"It's kind of itchy," Thalen rubbed the sleeve of his tunic.

"I look pretty," Telonge laughed and tightened his new belt.

"You both are idiots," Willyr rolled his pearly eyes.

"So we are going now?" Alys was impatient.

They left their little shack and headed east into the rising sun.

"Why were the Queen's knights in Tierbo?" Alys wondered after awhile. Lianna looked deep in thought and did not hear her question.

"Miss Lianna?"

"Hm?"

"Why do you look so melancholy?" Alys was taken aback by Lianna's sad expression.

"Oh there are a number of things, but don't let yourself be worried with them. What was your question?"

"The Queen's knights, why were they in Tierbo?"

"I overheard Sir Fayden speak of a royal cargo ship that was attacked at sea. There was one survivor who had been rescued and brought to Tierbo's port. He mentioned a large creature. Sir Fayden must have thought it a lead."

Willyr and Thalen grinned at each other in secret at Lianna's reply, but Alys caught them.

"What was it? You two must know something by those grins!"

"It was Callath."

"What's a _Callath?_"

"He's a very watery fellow you see, loves the water he does." Telonge came up behind Alys and put his arm around her shoulders.

At Telonge's remark, Thalen and Willyr laughed harder. Even Lianna started to giggle.

"Is a _Callath_ like a sea monster?"

Everyone was laughing openly at her now.

Lianna pushed Telonge away and replaced him by Alys's side. "Callath is the dragon of the Rushing Waters."

"Why is it so funny?"

"Because you thought he was a sea monster, the kind with tentacles" Willyr grinned.

Alys frowned at them. Why were they in such a light mood? Someone or something that may have killed Sasinna was holding their prince captive. She thought they should have been more serious.

Even though the others didn't seem as serious, Alys noted that her new traveling party was easier to be around. At least Telonge wasn't whistling and Thalen wasn't trying to fight him. Willyr seemed to recede into his thoughts like Lianna when they were done laughing.

They seemed to be descending into a valley of sorts. The hills rose above them. When night fell, one of the dragon-youths would fly and scout out shelter. He would return and point out a secluded 'abandoned' house. Although the house was usually warm and there was evidence that people had been there hours before, probably scared out of their mind by a ferocious dragon. They must have not worried that the owner's would come back to kill them with more people or that word would be sent out about 'dragon sightings'. The Queen's knights were far away by now, but still whoever Selendrile was after could know that they were coming for him. Alys was not only scared for him but for all of them.

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A/N -- Oh. My. God. I do apologize for not updating forever and a day; it was a crazy semester. Do not fear, avid readers, I shall not give up on this story. I have it all in my head, it just needs to be typed out. I kind of want to go draw these dragon-youth's hotness now.


	15. Dragon Reflection

A/N: Hey, got an email recently that said something like "Do a chapter from Selendrile's POV. I'm staying 3rd person here, but did something a little like that. I didn't give too much information away, and if you like these little peeks into Selendrile's subconcious, do say so. I might do it again, but not too much. Selendrile has to stay mysterious :P.

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The queen sat at her throne, in a most smug manner. Her face lit with pleasant surprise at the sight of Selendrile in his human form, as did all mortal woman. Except Alys of course. Alys was immune to his charms it seemed, and he suspected it to be because she knew he was a dragon before she saw his human skin.

"_What brings such a handsome lord before his queen?" _her majesty had acknowledged him.

Selendrile only smiled charmingly and spoke chillingly, "_I have come for your blood, fair queen. You have taken something dear from me, and retribution will be had."_

The Queen's smile dropped, and she seemed baffled, but quickly frowned.

"_He means to assassinate me!_ _How shall you accomplish such a feat whilst I am surrounded by skilled combatants?"_ She waved her hands in the air, signaling the guards ready. Selendrile caught sight of a bracelet on her wrist, made from the ivory of a dragon's teeth. Sasinna's very teeth. The teeth Sasinna used to tear flesh from bone as dragon. A wave of hate washed over Selendrile and he dropped his charming smile, only to replace it with a sneer.

He shed his human skin at once and filled the room with his golden presence, ready to tear the woman's head off.

Only, there was another power in the room, a dangerous one. It took him mere seconds to pinpoint where it was coming but those mere seconds were too long and he was knocked back, like a grain of sand in a rushing river.

It took him a moment to get over the sheer shock of the power used against him. The queen was surrounded tightly by guards with crossbows aimed at him. They didn't shoot him however. They were waiting for something, or someone to give orders.

A beautiful woman with dark brown hair casually strolled further into the throne room from an adjoining one. She had the concentrated look of revenge, Selendrile had seen in many humans over the years. Her revenge, whatever it was about, was matched with a strong power he had not seen in a mortal since before the creation of the Realm.

He charged at her, furious at her interruption of his rampage through the castle. She held out her arm and flicked her wrist up and a shocking force hit him, and twisted through his skeleton. It was painful. It didn't match the pain of iron though. He bared his jagged teeth at her and went for a bite. She spun away and threw her hands above her head and brought them to her face; a destructive gravity brought his body to the floor. He could feel his bones start to crush. He growled and it shook the walls. He shape-shifted into something smaller: a tiger. The bone-crushing feeling was lessened but still there. He swiped at the sorceress, his claws caught the train of her gown and it tore, she yelped but quickly got a hold of herself and threw her arms out at her sides. He made a leap to tackle her and bite something, but he couldn't touch her! She had shielded herself behind an invisible wall. He paced around her and tried different angles to attack her. She was perspiring ever so slightly, he could smell the salt on her skin, and hear her strained breaths. She obviously had never fought a creature like him before. He ran in a circle clockwise and she turned so she was always facing him. In a blink of an eye he switched directions, leaving her dizzy. He leaped from the back as she swung around and he finally had her pinned under his massive feline paws. Two arrows pierced his shoulder.

"_NO!"_ the sorceress screamed, surprisingly aimed at the guardsmen who had released the arrows. She stared into the tiger's amazing Amethyst eyes. He expected to see defeat or fear in her green ones, but there was nothing but coldness. He would enjoy tearing her throat out.

"_I've been waiting for you, Selendrile."_ She smiled and her eyes were squinted in a devious way.

Part of him wanted to demand how she knew his name. Another part, the larger one needed to tear her throat from her pretty neck. His large tiger mouth opened and she flicked her index finger upward. He was lifted up at an amazing speed, and suspended inches above the throne room ceiling. The sorceress kept her finger pointed at the ceiling and she stood gingerly and dusted herself off. She then repeated the twirl and brought her hands in front of her face. His bones felt the weight of gravity and he fell. He changed from tiger to falcon in mid fall, to stop his falling, but she flicked her wrist and that same jolt of shock twisted from his talons to his beak and he fell once more.

The sorceress caught him. She kneeled to the floor and laid his avian body to the cold marble. If he was to be done for by this vile woman, he should at least have his curiosity satisfied. He painfully made one last shift, back into his human form. His golden hair was loose and hung over his broad shoulders, his body screaming for relief no matter what shape he turned. Yet, she held him, he hated her touch.

He tried to keep his eyes on her, as he asked, "_What…what do you want with me_?"

"_I want Moshire._" She said quietly, a vacant gaze on her face and his mind succumbed to the energy shock racing through his mind and limbs.

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The walls were dank, moldy, and unpleasant. The stone floor was uncomfortable; the straw pad was itchy. So many flaws of the human world irritated Selendrile's acute senses.

Trapped.

He had underestimated the situation.

_That vile woman,_ he thought. He scowled inwardly at the beautiful sorceress whom had bested him. He didn't know what she was called and didn't care. He had taken the time to find luxurious and high bred threads to wear to the palace. His plan was to spring his might on the queen while she sat on her throne, only to leave a smear of blood in what little honor the humans adorned her with.

He was now in a place he would have rather not have been. The ceiling went high but not high enough for him to change to his true form comfortably. He was covered by a slip of fabric that was supposed to be a blanket. His ankle was chained to the wall. The band was not made of iron, which he found surprising since the vile woman seemed only to want to cause him suffering.

He remembered her saying, "_Moshire._"

Moshire was the eldest dragon out of the magnificent seven. A brass dragon that represented the shining sun. Moshire was no doubt in league with the other dragons that were trying to find him and bring him home to the Realm. Moshire was the only one of the seven that he hadn't contacted since they entered the human world. Though it was more like Moshire refused to be contacted. Moshire was stubborn. Thalen, Telonge, Willyr, Callath, Varlor, and Aerend had all tried to reason with Selendrile before he left the Realm in search for Sasinna. He knew the consequences, and was sorry to drag his counsel into the fray as well, but Sasinna seemed more important than everything.

He yanked his ankle to see how strong the chain was. It '_clinked'_ like any other chain. Was the sorceress a fool? Or was the chain more than it appeared to be?

"Don't think of escaping. That chain will only release you on my command, and it will grow or shrink to appropriate size if you change shape." He saw the sorceress in front of the cell bars.

"I'll just take the wall with me," he grunted.

"I'll just send more shock energy through you."

He stared at her hard, wishing she would die or be gone, but most of all die.

"You know how it feels to loose those you loved, no?" She asked, and it took him by surprise.

He shivered, but not because of the cold. He remembered Sasinna; how she was the last time he had seen her, over 500 years ago. It was crystal clear in his memory.

_She thrashed about the court yelling profanity and madness. In human form, she had a beautiful lithe frame, golden hair and green eyes. She was always happy and peaceful but not that day. She was sick of the Realm and its ruler. She had been driven mad, and was going to leave. She was going to return to the human world. _

_"I beg of you, do not leave!" Selendrile was desperate, and grabbed her by her waist, pulling her close._

_"I cannot bear another moment in this asylum, my love. It does make my head hurt so. He makes my whole body yearn to be what it once was. I cannot stay. I daresay I miss my world, though it has become a bloody war ground."_

_Selendrile embraced her tightly. "NO!"_

_She pushed out of his grasp, "I'll live with the butterflies and the salamanders so that they may remind me of dragons!" She turned and ran in a full sprint. _

_"NO!" Selendrile repeated as she leaped off the overlook to the Realm, and in mid-fall she transformed into a beautiful golden dragon, her wings beat against the wind and he stared after her until her figure melded with the setting suns._

_"No," he said again, but softly. She was his joy, and his smile, his hope and his laughter. She was gone. He knew he had to stay and do his duty to his kindred. They depended on him, but Sasinna was his world. It was nearly four centuries later when he was broken into a sullen, somber, beast that he did search for her. No longer bearing her absence, and figuring she was cured of her madness, he left the Realm._

He stared hard at the dirty stone floor. A feeling, shared alike by humans and fey had snuck into his chest. Sadness. His eyes had become moist. He looked to the vile sorceress who was wearing an unpleasant smirk.

He launched himself at the bars, reached through to grab her. To choke the life out of her. His urge to murder was strong.

"You killed her! You killed Sasinna! You vile, vile whore! I will _rip_ your throat out."

"Easy your majesty. I'd love to kill you as you stand but you are needed alive for the time being. _Don't_ pretend you are the only person to have lost someone close to you, because you are not." She backed away from him, now frowning. Her dress was still torn.

He bared his teeth at her and turned his back on her, transformed into his true from and closed his eyes. His back scraped the high ceiling, and his limbs were cramped but it felt good to be dragon.

His mind turned away from Sasinna eventually. She was gone, and no amount of magic could bring her back. He was heartbroken after he had learned of her death. He did not know who had done it, and it frustrated him. He had been hurt, and he couldn't extract revenge. So he flew north. There were mountains in the north, and namely his hoard that he had left in the human world was located in those mountains. It was in tact, all the gold and jewels and treasures he had received from offerings at his fey alter were piled in the mountain cave. He flew above the northern cities, observing the people, what they did now that no longer believed in fey. They seemed to live drab, little lives.

Selendrile, then a half century gone from the Realm, had become a bitter dragon. No longer admired by humans, no longer able to love. He started terrorizing farms, snatching up livestock and breaking them open to feast upon. This got the humans' attention. They feared him, fled and he took a perverse enjoyment at their cowardice. Humans had become cowards, corrupted by the new order. They prayed to an invisible power, yet Selendrile was there, a power in front of them. They made symbols with their hands and muttered phrases repeatedly as they ran from him.

Then, on a damp spring night he was flying. He had just cleared out a nearby farm, and had eaten three sows. He was comfortable on the high breeze, gliding though moonbeams and then he spotted a girl near a shoddy pole and two torches. She had her arms around her and was crouched to the ground.

_I could use a dessert, she looks sweet enough, _he mused, and came out of the clouds, lower to Earth. The girl froze at the sight of him. He continued flying, above her waiting to see if she ran or hid. He would catch her either way. Instead of the two obvious choices she had to evade him, he saw a small rock arc through the air at him, but landing far off. She had thrown it at him? Was she a fool? A rock would harm him as much as a roll if thrown would harm a wolf.

"You stupid dragon! Come and eat me!"

His full attention was on her now, unsure if he really wanted to eat her. He turned in the sky and flew to her. He landed next to her but she simply stood there and braced herself. Why was this human girl so eager to be devoured? She was a scrawny young human, with tangled and dirty brown locks, raw wrists, bruised. He sat next to her and pondered whether to oblige her. He looked down to see what she was doing. He could tell she was frightened out of her mind, yet she was brave to stand there.

She whispered, "Well, kill me."

Selendrile hated being told what to do. He seemed to get enough of that in the Realm. He looked away, deciding _not_ to oblige her wishes. He then felt a small kick to his shin. The girl had dared to kick him. She really was trying to get herself eaten.

To his surprise she giggled, "Now dear, don't play with your food." Then she was on the ground, sitting in the mud puddle whilst sobbing and laughing. There was obviously something very wrong with this human. His curiosity got the best of him though, after going years without shifting he decided to turn human. He was quiet as he did it. The girl had her face covered and didn't notice him change anyway. After a few moments of staring at her giggling sorrow he sighed and tried pulling her hands from her face so he could see her better. Her face was dirty and tear streaked; she looked at him astonished with her round, green eyes. Sasinna had the same color of eyes. Her astonishment ebbed when she stared into his eyes. So she was a clever human too. She scanned his body and jerked her head up with a reddening face.

_She's amusing_, he thought and stared at her humanly embarrassment. Dragons never became embarrassed over anything.

He still was holding her hands, not even he knew why. Perhaps it was just in case she decided to run away.

"I didn't know that dragons could take on human shape," she tried looking away and tugging out of his grasp.

He smiled slightly, "It's not often that I find a damsel flinging rocks at me."

Selendrile tried to keep a conversation with this amusing human girl. She was full of questions paired with worry.

"Why is it that dragons ask for maidens?"

Selendrile laughed for the first time in many, many years. He laughed at her naïve question, it was humorous. He gave her the truth, but she dismissed it as a lie. The conversation then bored him; she started ranting about riddles which made him annoyed. He hated riddles. So he finally snapped the question out he wanted to ask since he saw her, "Why didn't you run away when you had the chance, before I saw you?"

She spoke of how she was unfairly tried a witch, her father's death, and the thought of Selendrile burning her village to the ground. His heart leapt, not at her unhappiness but because she deserved revenge, and it was a rather attainable one. Unlike, he who could not even find the being to exact his revenge upon. He would offer his help, and watch her enjoy the revenge he could never have.

_Alys_.

He didn't think he could be so fond of a human ever again. She constantly amused him. She was protective of him, although she was the one that needed his protection. She wasn't mad—but quirky. She had slowly begun to melt the sadness of Sasinna's death off his heart, although he still yearned for his revenge. Alys was his treasure.

Now she was with Telonge, as she should be if something happened to him. He wondered where Moshire was and _why _the sorceress was so intent on finding him.

Most of all, he wondered if Alys would forgive him. She could forgive all his lies but could she forgive the truth?


	16. Dragon Grumbles

It was a good two weeks before Alys, Lianna, and their dragon companions reached anywhere near the Imperial City. In those two weeks, three more dragons joined their party: Callath, the dragon of the flowing sea, Aerend, the dragon of the blowing winds, and Varlor, dragon of the burning flame.

Varlor and Callath were the first to join.

"Varlor! Oh what an honor to be in your presence!" Telonge threw up his arms and did an odd little dance.

Alys couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic.

"Fool," Varlor sniffed and then his ruby eyes landed on Alys, "So we meet again?"

Alys blushed remembering her rather awful acting in front of him at the inn.

The other dragon's raised their brows at the fact they had met previously.

"I had a chance to grab her, a couple of weeks ago, but Selendrile was nearby so I went after him instead."

"And…?" Willyr prodded.

"He gave me the slip."

Alys smiled ever so slightly.

"Figures," Thalen grumbled.

Varlor narrowed his eyes at Thalen. Alys didn't want to witness them fight, so she stepped in.

"He was a wolf that night. He ran all the way back to Tierbo to throw you off."

"I saw you in Tierbo," Callath piped up and pointed at her. He had long black locks and an intense sapphire stare.

"You both had the chance to reason with Selendrile and you didn't?!" Willyr was infuriated.

"I didn't want to bother them, they were cuddling…" Callath mumbled.

Everyone looked to Alys.

"We were not!"

"So he holding you close and your face pressed into his chest was not cuddling?"

Alys blushed, "No, he was trying to quiet me."

"Figures," Thalen grumbled.

"So was anyone actually looking for Selendrile all this time?" Willyr asked. He seemed frustrated.

Telonge shrugged, "He told me where he was, what he planned to do, and told me to wait around my fey alter until further notice."

"I just wanted to have some fun before we went back. I destroyed some ships, evaded some of the Queen's knights until Varlor showed up in Tierbo." Callath admitted.

"I was looking for him, but as I said, he gave me the slip," Varlor huffed.

"I was looking for him too, but I couldn't help but to indulge myself with humanly vices along the way," Thalen answered.

Willyr made a grumbling sound.

"Excuse me but how did Selendrile contact you, Telonge? I've been with him since last spring and I've never seen you."

Telonge smiled and looked around to the other dragon-youths. They all smiled as well. Callath laughed out loud.

"What's going on?" Lianna demanded to know.

Telonge sighed with a smile, "We communicate telepathically, through our minds. That is why Selendrile contacted me without you knowing."

"Dragons amaze me more and more each day," Lianna mused.

"So are you going to tell us his plans?" Varlor snapped at Telonge.

"I'll wait awhile, at least let Aerend and Moshire catch up."

Lianna prickled with excitement, she was going to witness all of the magnificent seven together!

"I don't think Moshire will come," Thalen said.

Telonge gave him a curious look.

"Have any of you tried contacting him? He won't respond."

They stopped walking. The dragon-youths stared into nothing with concentration. Alys and Lianna stood away, feeling awkward and out of place.

"Hm. Bizarre that is," Telonge rubbed his chin.

"Well he's not dead," Callath remained positive.

"Aerend is on his way," Willyr added.

"Does it dizzy your mind how they talk?" Lianna whispered at Alys.

Alys's mind was amazed at their abilities. Speaking through minds would have been helpful in her situation. She could ask Selendrile if he was alright, and where exactly he was so she could rescue him.

The dragon-youths left Lianna and Alys with enough money for a nearby inn while they went into the woods to transform and hunt.

"They are all so odd." Lianna remarked before entering the inn.

"And I thought all dragons to be the same as Selendrile," Alys admitted.

They paid the innkeeper and sat down just in time for dinner.

"So _how_ is Selendrile?"

"Moody, quiet, mysterious, restless…I find myself always asking him questions but he never usually answers."

"Why do you stay with him or even care about him if he acts that way? He is a _dragon_ after all, I doubt they are very good company. I was in company with Willyr for only a few days and he was insufferable."

Alys bit her lip and peered into her bowl of soup. She would have rather forgotten how she ended up with Selendrile as her dragon-companion. "Remember the village of St. Toby's where they said a witch had tamed a dragon?"

Lianna nodded, remembering somewhat the tale the villagers spoke of.

Alys didn't continue though. The imagery in her head replayed her father, clutching his heart before he died. He was sick and Atherton was a beast to accuse her in front of him.

Liana's eyes widened, just making the connection, "But…but…you had him burn down the village?"

"They accused me of Witchcraft, which led to my father's death that very night. Selendrile saved me! He saved me _twice_. They can all burn for all I care!"

Lianna stared at Alys, who reddened in the face because other guests were looking at her for her strange outburst.

"Still, you had him burn the village? That's rash." Lianna spoke a little quieter and frowned.

"He did it on his own."

"Yes, but for you."

"I don't know. He could have just felt like burning something. He never tells me what he does or why. How about you? You ran off in an awful mysterious hurry from Tierbo that night."

It was Liana's turn to peer into her soup; a past full of hurt in her heart.

"I was running from a bounty hunter. The Count of Wendburry wanted me, but I had been married."

"You have a husband?" Alys was rather surprised she had never mentioned it before.

"_Had_. Joronis was his name. The count…he…mur…mur…" Lianna couldn't finish the sentence but started sobbing. She tried to muffle the sounds with her cloak but it did little. Alys came around the table to comfort her.

"I'm so sorry," Alys had her arms around Lianna, embracing her as a younger sister would. Alys found that her eyes were watery as well. "Look at us. We've lost so many dear to us. You lost your husband, I lost father, Selendrile lost Sasinna, and now I fear I will lose him."

Lianna sniffled and held Alys' hand in a squeeze. "No, you won't loose Selendrile. We will find him, I promise."

Alys could only smile and hope Lianna was right.

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"Wake up sleepyheads!"

Alys slowly lifted an eyelid to see an ever-jovial Telonge.

Lianna grumbled and threw her pillow at him, which he caught. "If you don't get up, we'll just keep watching you…"

Alys' other eyelid opened more hastily and saw five handsome men with extraordinary eyes sitting about the room. All of them staring at her and Lianna.

Alys kicked Lianna lightly.

"What?" Lianna growled, ever the morning lady.

"It's eerily unnerving," Alys replied.

Lianna rolled over and sat up and saw what Alys was referring to.

"Wait, you're new…" She pointed at the young man in the chair. He had light fawn colored hair and sparkling grey eyes…probably were diamonds.

"I'm Aerend."

"Nice to meet you. I'm going back to sleep." Lianna collapsed back into the mattress.

"I can't get back to sleep knowing they watch me," Alys huffed, rather disturbed.

"You don't like us to know you snore?" Aerend taunted.

"I do not!" Alys shouted and threw her pillow.

He caught it and squeezed it, while having a far off expression, "I don't want to go home."

All the dragon-youths tense at the word.

"Why?" Alys wondered. "Aren't you looking for Selendrile, to take him home?"

Lianna grumbled something muffled into the mattress, wishing everyone be quiet.

"It's more like we _have_ to go home once we have Selendrile," Thalen grumbled. If it were plausible for Lianna and Thalen to reproduce, their offspring would have been the grumbliest little things in existence.

Alys frowned in confusion. "_Why?_"

No answer.

"You can't tell us?" Alys guessed and sighed, back to her habit.

"It's not really our duty, Alys." Telonge shrugged, "You'll just have to have Selendrile explain things."

Alys threw back the covers angrily, not caring if they saw her in a nightdress. "Selendrile never explains anything to me. Why do you think he would?"

Lianna grumbled once more and pulled the covers back up to keep warm. Telonge opened his mouth to answer but Alys wasn't finished speaking. "How do we even know there will be a Selendrile left to answer any questions?" Again, Telonge was about to reply but Alys didn't let him "How far away is the Imperial City?"

"Probably a half days walk?" Varlor guessed quickly.

"Good!" she said and pulled on stockings. They watched her tug layers of clothes over her nightdress and finally she threw on her cloak and her pack bag. "Goodbye!"

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A/N: You're very welcome for this double shot of spring-breakiness free time! Woo!


	17. Dragon Blessings

A/N- So this is a long one, and I dedicate it to everyone who reads this fanfic. I apologize for any infrequent updating, and promise I'm not one of those authors who keeps a story hostage until they receive x amount of reviews. I'm writing this for the love of 'Dragon's Bait'. I do thank everyone for their positive reviews, and I enjoy reading them. If you like something, I'm more than happy to read about it, to know what I do right in my stories. Thank you all, and get ready to be PUMPED because this is an awesome chapter!

~Boo.

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Lianna had been too groggy to notice Alys's angry departure was actual. She awoke fully, somewhat coherent and surprised to see all the dragon-youths still watching her. She stared at them and licked her lips which had become dry overnight. She scanned the room for Alys but realized.

"She really left?"

"Yes." All of them but Willyr replied in unison.

"Why don't you go after her?"

"She's safe for now. Besides, Willyr refused to leave _you_ here alone," Telonge shrugged a shoulder.

Lianna rolled her eyes for two reasons. One, because she couldn't even understand how Alys was safe alone with all of the fey in the room and two, she pointed at the quiet dragon-youth in a white cloak, "How many times must I try to convince you I won't betray the dragons? Isn't my being here and not blabbing a word to anyone proof enough?"

"No," Willyr replied quickly.

Telonge and Callath exchanged amused looks. Lianna noticed but didn't say anything this time. She yawned and got out of bed to get dressed properly but couldn't help but to be disturbed at all the jeweled stares aimed curiously at her.

_Oh bloody hell…_she realized that she was the only female now.

"All of you GET OUT NOW!" she whirled around and shouted with a scowl.

All of them scrambled quickly out of their comfortable spots and out of the room's door. She wondered if they were really alarmed at her tone of voice or just respecting her wishes. She dressed into a travel dress. She planned on going downstairs to see if she could catch the last of breakfast but when she opened the door, the dragon-youths were crouched around it. Thalen looked up at her with a pleasant smirk. She hauled off and slapped him, marching down the stairs with a blush.

She ended up having toast and jam with milk for a breakfast.

The dragon-youths waited for her outside the inn. She huffed as she walked past them.

"You have a very nice body for a human," Thalen dared to initiate conversation. He had snuck up behind her and spoke it close to her ear. She whirled around to slap him again but he caught her arm, "Ah that was expected."

"Let go of me you scoundrel!" Lianna tugged her arm back, but Thalen smiled amused-like and didn't release her.

"Leave her be!" Willyr growled.

Thalen raised his brows with a challenge.

"_Oh dragon of the fertile earth stands alone beside its hearth. A lonely, yet deadly thing with eyes of Emerald green. Good blessings to those who offer it's been seen. For those who decide to snub the beast, could end up being the creature's feast."_ Lianna recited in a distasteful hiss.

Thalen was startled and let go of her arm. She brushed her sleeve down and turned on her heel.

"What…what was _that_?" He demanded to know in utter bewilderment.

"It seems you made an impression on someone. It's your prologue in my book of dragon lore."

"I am NOT lonely," he objected and crossed his arms.

Telonge snickered and Thalen grabbed him in a headlock almost immediately.

"How does mine go?" Telonge wondered, not minding the fact he was head-locked.

"_Dragon of the shining stars has a pleasant way: opal eyes of Strella emerge at night, when the stars are bright to fly about in play. A powerful beast to say the least, that lazes about the day. To if which thoust Turn the fey's humor about, then thoust will be sent away_" Lianna obliged.

Telonge smiled broad, "I like it! It is so accurate! Who wrote it?"

Lianna shrugged, "A scholar, a long time ago I suppose."

Thalen grumbled and gave up trying to cause discomfort to Telonge, who just ignored it anyway. He let Telonge's head go. Telonge didn't seem to notice anything had happened.

"You know a lot about us don't you?" Aerend jumped to walk beside her.

"As much that is written. Your prologue is: '_Dragon of the blowing winds appears mysteriously. Like diamonds in the breeze, the eyes are watchfully. Respect the silver flash of scale and pray most ardently. For the beast can take away thou good blessings away most hurriedly.'_"

Aerend seemed impressed and clapped lightly at her recital. "Very good."

"How do you give blessings anyway? What do they do?" Lianna wondered.

"A blessing from any one of us means you are in Draconian favor. You'll have something better because of it." Willyr explained, "That is why humans used to worship us. We received food sacrifices and treasures in return for advantages otherwise unattainable."

"If you want, I could give you _my_ blessing," Thalen nudged between them, and he said it with a suggestion that reminded her of the Count of Wendburry.

"I'd rather not have anything you offer," Lianna frowned and turned her head.

They heard Willyr bite back a laugh. Lianna never recalled him laugh since they had met. She was glad to have amused him.

Thalen was not amused though. He grumbled and fell behind a couple of paces.

Varlor and Callath asked her to recite their prologues and she was happy to oblige.

"_Dragon of the burning flame is a sullen beast, ungrateful, and untamed. _

_The Ruby-eyed wrath of the creature is not to be endured. Hold thy tongue say not a word. Else the breath of Pyrotic fire be heard._"

"It's not very flattering," Varlor held his tongue out with disgust.

"_Dragon of the flowing sea is self-assured as can be. The watery depths be safe for those who give to the altar. A wet death cannot escape the poor fools that falter. A sapphire stare sends humans into charm, but the aquatic beast's magic is only for harm._"

"You know it's only like that because I like destroying ships," Callath said as-a-matter-of-factly "They remind me of ducks on a pond but bigger." He paused, "But if any sailor paid tribute at my alter, I made sure not to destroy _their _ship."

"How generous of you."

Lianna rather wished Alys wouldn't have run off. It felt odd to be seen on the road as a single woman accompanied by six extremely handsome men. It felt odd and also gave Lianna a funny sense of importance. Still…

"Why are you all following me? I am of no importance to you. I'm simply going back to the university once I am in the Imperial City."

"We like you. You're interesting and can recite words about us," Aerend replied first.

"What about Alys? You could go follow her—she's _quite_ interesting."

"Yes but she is angry at us now and wants to be left alone," Telonge sighed, for once a smile didn't reach his eyes.

"What if _I_ wish to be left alone as well?"

"You might get hurt. You don't have any of our blessings…_yet_," Thalen broke out of his moody silence.

"And Alys does?"

"Alys has Selendrile's blessings all over her," Callath snorted with a smirk "A pack of wolves could attack her and she'd walk away without so much as a scratch."

"Your blessings are that powerful?" Lianna was amazed.

"Our curses are even worse," Varlor added and smiled unnervingly.

"I'll keep that in mind…" she said softly and looked ahead. She saw a white tower and her skin prickled. It was the tower in the middle of the Imperial City, jutting out from the palace. She was home.

It was another hours' walk until they actually reached the gates of the Imperial City. The population of the City was much more than that of Wendburry, Griswold, Tierbo, Alvale, Prition, and Borgath combined. Suffice it to say, the Imperial City was a lot more dangerous. Maybe there was an advantage to having six dragon-youths as companions.

She was all the way to the market district before she addressed them about following her, "I'm going back to the university. All of you will probably attract a lot of unwanted attention so I suggest you find someplace to stay until Alys shows up or you rescue Selendrile, I really don't know what your plans of action are, but I am not to be involved. Are we clear?"

They stared at her, looked at each other and seemed to be communicating telepathically.

"Take care of yourself, Lianna. Farewell," Telonge waved and gave her a small smile. The dragon youths then separated and disappeared into the crowd of humans that were busy shopping and selling. Willyr lingered however, his hood was covering his eyes but she could tell he was gazing at her. Another moment later he was gone. Whether or not Lianna wanted to admit it, it left her with an empty feeling inside.

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Alys's steps were fast. She had thought at least one of them would follow her but she didn't see any trace of a dragon on her trail. She kept to the road, walking the way she thought it led to the Imperial City. She wondered how she would find Selendrile without any help. There had been mention of the Queen but Alys was sure the Queen wouldn't give an audience to her, especially if it was about Selendrile—her newest prisoner.

She had a proper dress in her pack, but didn't know where to change into it. She was still in her nightdress and other layers she had hastily pulled on that morning. She looked like a savaging vagabond. She caught sight of a white tower through the trees and her heart sped up. It told that was what to look for to know if one was near the Imperial City—and there it was!

She sighed in relief and did a happy twirl, not caring if any travelers saw. She started to run, not at a fast pace but a medium jog. She _would_ find Selendrile, even if it took her the rest of her life.

It was probably midday; the sun was hidden behind the wintry clouds so Alys couldn't tell for sure.

It wasn't as cold as the previous days, yet it was still December. Winter was a long, cold, boring, dead season that Alys only had resent for. She ran far, but not far enough to arrive at the Imperial City before she gave up jogging and was short of breath. She was very hungry because she had forgotten to eat breakfast at the inn. Her stomach gave a grumble of agreement.

The City was located on a rather large island in the middle of a lake. The road went right past a shore of the lake and she took a moment to stand at the shore and look out across the water. The wind was blowing waves across it, the wind was cold though.

_It would be fun to swim in during the summer,_ she thought. She then took in the walls around the Imperial City, impossibly large stone walls that encircled the buildings and people inside. She continued to the long stone walkway that acted as a bridge over the lake to the island. Everything was very big, not sensibly proportioned like the walls that protected Griswold, Tierbo, or Wendburry.

She thought of St. Toby's—how everything was so small in comparison. What if she had continued living her life before she was accused of witchcraft? She would be working as a tin smith, probably not attracting many suitors. The boys in St. Toby's were distasteful or already taken. She sighed, just out of habit and reached the open gates. Inside there were many people, too many people Alys could count. In St. Toby's you knew everyone walking down the main road but there were hundreds of people here. Some poorly dressed, some wealthy.

She approached a guard—he was wearing standard armor and looked stern. "Excuse me, sir?"

"What do you need citizen?"

"How does one get to the palace?"

He looked down at her—messy hair, nightdress, and layers of other clothes—and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What business does one have with the palace?"

"Oh...um…my brother was wrongfully accused of theft and he is in the dungeons. I was called here to vouch for him." She was amazed such a smooth lie could slip off her tongue.

He gave her another once-over and directed her through the north gate; the palace was in the center of the city, the very structure the tower was protruding from. She quickly followed his directions. They probably wouldn't let her into the palace looking like that. Maybe if she hadn't stormed out of the inn that morning, she could have asked Lianna for advice of how to get places. After all, Lianna worked for the palace as a scholar. Lianna had been too groggy to storm out with her though.

She went through the palace gates but was abruptly stopped by more suspicious guards. "Do you have an appointment?"

"How do I get one?"

"Steward's office."

"Where is that?"

"The Southwest Imperial Building. It's between this palace and the prison grounds."

_Prison grounds! Selendrile!_ Her priority of destination changed almost immediately.

She didn't know which direction she was going, she found her way through stone arches but then found she was now _not_ on the palace grounds anymore, but out in another one of the City's districts. It looked to be a market district because of the stands and shops.

"Alys!?" she heard a woman's voice and turned around to see none other than Lianna!

"Lianna!" Alys cried happily, she had never been so happy to see someone except Selendrile—when he saved her from burning at the stake.

"Have you found Selendrile?"

"No I've been here for awhile, _trying_ but I only get lost. Can you help me?"

Lianna bit her lip, but nodded. "I'm going back to the University, you can get properly dressed and maybe take a bath there."

Alys really would have liked to take a bath. It had been too cold to do it a nearby body of water like she had kept clean all of summer. She felt a little ridiculous still being in her nightdress too.

The two women made their way through two or three districts before coming to the University. It was a semi-circle of stone buildings with a short tower at the center. Lianna had her own quarters within the University, and showed Alys the way to the bathe room. There was a tub and a giant fireplace to heat buckets of water, but Alys would have to go outside to a small unfrozen pond and fill the buckets herself.

Lianna sent Alys off to furnish her own bath. The first thing she did when Alys left was collapse onto her bed and sigh. She had been gone from the city more than a few months and it felt good to back in her own bed. There was a knock at her door.

"You don't have to knock to be let back in!" she called, figuring it was Alys with her buckets of water.

She heard the door open and close, but heavier footsteps ascended the stairs. Lianna gasped when she saw the man in the white cloak. "What...what are _you_ doing here?"

He pulled the hood of his cloak down so all of his human face was visible. He really was attractive if not for the unnerving white eyes. "Am I really…that insufferable?"

Lianna didn't have a clue to what he was speaking of and it was apparent by her expression. Willyr came toward the foot of the bed. "I heard your conversation with Alys last night. I never knew you had lost your…mate."

"Oh," Lianna whispered, "Why were you spying on us?"

"I was done hunting for the night and returned earlier than the rest, and I _wasn't_ spying—I was observing."

"Look, I did not mean that you were entirely insufferable. You did serve justice to the Count of Wendburry, and I don't think I ever properly thanked you for that. It's just you never trusted me and you kept me somewhat prisoner. Was I _that_ untrustworthy?"

A regretful look crossed his handsome features, but he didn't say more.

"Why didn't you ask me to recite your prologue?"

He looked away, out the window and at the dusk, "_Dragon of the glowing moon will hear thy soft whispers of prayer. The pearl eyes seek minimal treasure for its lair._

_The moonbeams of Draconian blessing are rare. Thou be honest and free the Lunaris beast will not harm thee._"

"You _know_ it?" she was quite surprised.

"I read it from your book when you were unconscious at the inn."

She touched her head where it had been knocked. Not much but a dull throb existed from all her head wounds over the past weeks. "Is it accurate?"

"Its right about one thing," he turned to face her. She waited for his conclusion, "It is rare to receive one of _my_ blessings. I don't think the number of blessings I have given exceeds count on one hand."

"Why is it so rare to receive _your_ blessing?"

He frowned, "Because humans are liars. They are always lying and cheating and don't deserve my blessing. They make me sick most of the time. That is why I wanted to go home so quickly, so I didn't have to waste any more time in this world."

Lianna swallowed, not knowing how to follow up on his words. She never _lied_ to him at least.

"But, you have shown extraordinary strength and honesty throughout our travels together," he continued, "and I would like to extend one of my blessings upon you, that is, if you would receive it."

"What would it do?"

"You will find out, once you have it," he saw her worry, "it will be positive."

Her mind was whirling with excitement and maybe just a little bit of fear. She loved the concept of dragons and had spent a good amount of time learning about them, but to actually receive a blessing from one made her nervous. She took a breath, "I will."

He didn't do anything though.

"So how do I obtain it?"

"In the days before the Realm, people offered sacrifices for our blessings."

"I don't have that much money, and I doubt there are any animals near—"

"All you have to sacrifice is a kiss."

She closed her mouth and stared at him. Searching his pearl eyes for any sense of humor, but as always he was truly serious. She hadn't willingly kissed anyone since the death of Joronis. She didn't think she could handle that kind of emotion, but she knew she was strong. After her moment of hesitation, she took a step closer to Willyr; she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and tilted her head back.

She felt his arms encircle her, and his lips gently join with hers. Immediately she was hit with a sense of peacefulness and safety, feeling as though she would never have to run away ever again. It lasted for moments but then Willyr withdrew his kiss and whispered in a husky voice, "It is done."

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Alys had gotten her buckets of water and was annoyed how long it took to get water into them. It took four buckets to fill the tub. She returned to Lianna's living quarters to find Lianna on her bed, staring at the ceiling in a most peculiar way. She didn't say anything to disturb her, and went to the bathe room to heat her buckets over the fire.

Lianna was overwhelmed. She had exchanged words prior to her blessing and had found out more than she bargained for.

"_Where did a dragon learn to kiss like that?" she breathed after Willyr had informed her it was done._

_Willyr smirked ever so slightly, "We've been alive for eons, do you not think we pick up on humanly habits? If we didn't, we would hardly be convincing once we shifted."_

"_So you've kissed other humans before?"_

_He shrugged, "We all have."_

"_Why ever for?"_

_An unnamable expression reached his face. "We weren't born, we were created."_

_Now it was her turn to be confused._

"_Created?"_

"_Yes. All seven of us only exist because of a Divine. He wanted deadly, destructive warriors and he created us. We initially did not get along and so he also created Selendrile to command us, unite us."_

"_So what does that have to do with kissing humans?" Lianna brought the subject back._

"_In his mind, he didn't take consideration of our need for companionship so no female dragons were created—" _

"_What about Sasinna?" Lianna objected._

_Willyr frowned and continued, " So he made us a deal, if we could find a human that we were fond of and she willing, we could present her to him and she would receive his blessing to join our ranks."_

"_What are you saying?"_

"_I'm saying Sasinna was a human. She started out as being human and Selendrile became fond of her and brought her forth to our Divine. Then she was dragon. All female dragons have once been human."_

_Lianna dropped onto her bed, the information a staggering revelation to her. It was nothing ever recorded. She then remembered Willyr's soft lips, and looked at them—they were turned up in a slight smile._

"_Have you ever been fond of a human?" _

_He pulled his hood of his white cloak over his head, "I'm begging to be." _


	18. Dragon Betrayal

Her hopes were just beginning to come true. She had waited, watched, and was patient for eons but it had finally begun. She was exhausted. Varisca had used a considerable amount of energy keeping the Prince of Dragons locked up. She tried to sedate him; it seemed to be the easiest way from keeping Selendrile from taking down the stone walls with him in escape. A homemade drug combined of the foxglove flower petals and seeds from a peony kept his majesty sleepy. The more Selendrile slept, the weaker his muscles became.

Varisca had survived the rising of the monotheistic religion and their silly superstitions. She was the only mage left, and the most powerful human in the world. She didn't use her powers publicly though, for the clergy would have hunted her down and proclaimed her a witch. However, with Varisca's looks no one dared accuse her of witchcraft.

She had made her way to the Imperial City, interested in aiding the King in his war with the fey. Fey had become an abomination to humans—no longer worshipped and admired for their power and beauty. Fey were obsolete and with so many humans against them, they had disappeared. Varisca did not know where they had fled to, but it was a very secure hiding place. She became the King's trusted aid and advisor. He had seen what she could do, as far as battling fey and granted her immunity from the church's persecution. After all she was helping fight evil. She only had the privilege to kill and relish one dragon's death in all her years of living—Sasinna.

Varisca knew by the elegant golden scales, the dragoness was the Prince of Dragons's mate. She briefly wondered why Sasinna had returned to the human world but decided she didn't care. Selendrile would be furious and Varisca wanted him to be. Not only was she inflicting emotional pain on a dragon, perhaps she could lure him out of the hiding place the fey were in, perhaps she could use him as a way to get to Moshire.

She was waiting for the other dragons, knew they would come for their prince, and one of them would be Moshire. She had been anxious and restless the past few weeks—was on edge in wait of the magnificent seven.

The Queen thought naught to disturb her advisor whilst in her reverie. Varisca had promised the dragons' parts to the queen once she was finished with them. She was preparing herself for when they appeared. To take on seven dragons at once was suicide, but she had bested Selendrile with her power and had a few tricks up her sleeve to benefit her side of the fight.

She was sitting in the royal study, at a large desk and looking over documents. Part of her job as advisor to the queen required her to respond accordingly to grievances within the kingdom. She had seen a suspicious accord in a letter from the seaport of Tierbo, about a royal cargo vessel that had been blown out of the water. The passengers were left to a watery grave and one survivor made it to shore, claiming a large flying beast was at fault. Varisca could have dismissed the account for lunacy on the crazed survivor's part, but had a feeling it was not lunacy but truth.

She had destroyed the dragoness, Sasinna over 500 years ago and _knew_ it would not go unnoticed by the other dragons, especially Selendrile. Once Selendrile was in her hold, the other dragons would try to claim him, as he was their prince. Among them would be Moshire.

She had been rather startled to learn that Dragons could shape-shift, as she had seen Selendrile go from human to dragon to feline to bird. That bit of knowledge was newfound and she would have to take it into account.

"My lady," she heard a man's voice at the door and was startled out of her thoughts. He was Lord Soleric, an exemplary looking man that had his eyes on the Queen's advisor.

She beckoned him in, "Soleric, how lovely to see you." She tried to remain business-like but every instinct in her wanted to run into his arms and receive impassioned kisses.

Varisca had been alive for eons; men came and went through her life, and she knew she couldn't love them fully for they would grow old and die. They were clouds—she the sky.

Soleric set something off in her though. She had never seen a man like him before. He didn't grovel at her feet or beg for attention as the other men had. He had let his presence be known, and would mysteriously smile at her through the room. He had a most charming smile on his handsome face.

"Are you busy? I could come back later."

She looked down at the summons with disdain. "No, no, what do you need?"

He strode towards her, while taking off his riding gloves. He didn't answer but stood next to her, slinking his long arm around her waist. "You."

She felt her heart flutter, and knew it was stupid to feel so much for a man. She had convinced herself she could never love, because of her past and the malice that grasped her heart, but she could take one gaze into his pretty eyes and be as unsure of herself as a newborn lamb.

He smiled just before he kissed her. It was a slow, sweet kiss and made Varisca's knees weak. Her heart was fluttering wildly.

Another thing that set Lord Soleric apart was that he was not afraid of her. Men knew she was a powerful sorceress, tended to be extremely careful with their words around her, and seemed nervous.

"I thought we agreed you wouldn't meet with me during my working hours?" She asked. She wasn't angry he had arrived unannounced, but he didn't yet know what she had in the dungeons.

"I was out riding, decided to stop by on my way back."

She had never been to his manor before. It was outside the city somewhere he had said. He had always met her at the palace and that's where they flirted, embraced, and stole kisses from each other in the shadow of the white tower.

She had known him for months now, and it was strange with how completely at ease she felt around him—never anxious, never worried about her impending revenge.

"Sorry I've been unavailable the past week or so. I have been busy with certain prisoners—a difficult one," she sighed and laid her head into Soleric's chest.

"I'm sure they will prove to be less difficult once you give them a taste of your power." Soleric wrapped his arms around her and in that motion felt the large tear in her gown.

"What happened to you?"

She sighed, "The prisoner…is a dragon."

She felt his body tense ever so slightly, "They still exist?"

"Yes."

"Pray, how can it fit inside a dungeon cell?"

"Dragons can shape-shift. I've created a special shackle and chain to correlate to the size of the prisoner."

He took her chin and looked into her eyes, "Why on earth do you have a dragon as a prisoner?"

She hadn't told him about her past, and no matter how comforting he seemed—she wasn't comfortable with telling him the truth, so she gave the next best answer, "He threatened the Queen's life."

"Ah," he said, in a knowing way.

They stood like that, for a few more moments and then Soleric kissed her lips, then her hand and bid her farewell for he had business at home to attend to. She felt a rare smile tear at her lips, it seemed like the only reason she smiled was because of him. She sat down at the desk and shuffled around the pile of parchment. She was sent another suspicious grievance from Griswold earlier that spring, about a golden dragon terrorizing nearby farms. That was the piece of information Varisca needed to know that the Prince of Dragons had returned, and would soon be at the front gates.

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Alys left Lianna's quarters early. Her main priority was to get to the Prince of Dragons. She had found the prison, and had asked the guard if she could visit a prisoner.

"What prisoner do you wish to visit with?" the man on watch asked, opening a large book of names—a list of the current prisoners.

"Selendrile."

He paused a moment and then searched through the list of names.

Alys couldn't hover over his shoulder and check to see if he was actually, sincerely making an effort to find Selendrile, but he looked up and informed her that there were no current prisoners that were by that name.

Alys sighed, irritated. Selendrile _was_ being held prisoner—somewhere—or else he would have come back.

A sudden jerk tugged her heart, what if he wasn't in the book because they had killed him? What if Selendrile was dead?

Moisture gathered at the corners of her eyes—just the fleeting thought of his body discarded in the woods or him being hurt in anyway shook her more than she would have ever admitted. She wiped the moisture away. No, Selendrile was not dead for Telonge said he knew that Selendrile was alive.

Alys was tired, had barely slept. Lianna had been acting out of character ever since the night before. Lianna had left even earlier that morning, when it was still dark and barely a whisper of pink was on the sky's horizon. She had been restless and told Alys she was going to the libraries to return the book of Dragon Lore.

So how was Alys to find Selendrile now? Maybe he was a special prisoner that wasn't being kept in the actual prison; after all he was a _dragon_. She turned the corner that led to the palace. Guards were standing at their posts.

A plan—a rather stupid one—entered her mind suddenly. It could definitely lead her to Selendrile, but once there she wouldn't be able to plan any further. She calmly walked up to one of the guards. He was wearing the armor and crest of the imperial palace. His eyes shifted downward and looked at her, waiting for her to say something. She didn't. Instead she bolted past him and to the doors, on swift feet. She got to the looming entry doors and grabbed the large handle pulling with all her might—her arms felt as though they were being ripped out of their sockets—and the doors were slow to tug open.

"Stop! You there!" The guards were after her now.

The door budged open enough that she could fit her thin body through. She stumbled a little into the grand entrance where courtiers, and other guardsmen stared at her with bafflement.

"I WANT _MY _DRAGON BACK!" she hurled a scream at all of them and continued to run, now with more guardsmen chasing her. They were able runners but when they were weighed down with ten pounds of armor and she was as light as a feather, she was always one step out of their grasp.

"SELENDRILE!" she kept screaming as she sprinted through the hallways, SELENDRILE!" and not actually looking for him but letting the fact sink into every crevice of the imperial palace that she knew they had the Prince of Dragons as a prisoner.

Her breath was getting ragged, from screaming and inhaling air to keep running, but with one last "SELENDRILE!" she was tackled brutally to the marble floor. She felt a crack in her shoulder and shut her eyes in pain.

"Get up! GET UP!" the guard yelled but yanked her upwards himself. Four guards escorted her to an empty chamber. She held her shoulder but realized the pain had ebbed and was curious to how it did so fast. She didn't have time to ponder it thoroughly, as a beautiful young woman—maybe a year or two older than herself—entered the room.

The guards stood still, and nervous. The lady didn't say anything, but pursed her lips together and appraised Alys with her eyes. She then produced a vial from one of the long sleeves of her dress, opened it and dipped her finger into it. Alys tensed as she stepped closer and blew a silvery dust off her finger into Alys' face. Alys flinched but nothing more. The woman frowned, "She is not fey."

"Where is Selendrile? What have you done with him!?" Alys shouted, stepping after the woman. The guards restrained her.

The woman smiled, but it wasn't a smile that told Alys Selendrile was all right. "What on earth manner of business does a pitiful human girl have with the Prince of Dragons?"

Alys did feel pitiful now that it was mentioned. She was a scrawny orphan with absolutely no power who was risking everything to save a creature that could very well take care of himself.

"Just tell me if he is all right," she requested quietly. She didn't meet the woman's eyes but looked at her feet instead.

"He's alive. Now I will only ask this one more time, what is your business with him?"

What _was_ her business with him? She wanted to free him—why? He had saved her, but she had saved him before. Was their relationship just based upon favors for saving each other when the other got into trouble? No! It had to be more than that. Alys felt—_knew_ deep down somewhere there was a reason they kept saving each other.

She finally did meet the woman's eyes, and said in a voice full of confidence, "He is _mine._"

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Selendrile had been sleeping for many hours. He was fed goats, and one goat a day was _not_ enough to fill a dragon. He liked to think he was reserving energy by sleeping, but knew it was because of some sort of drug concocted by the vile sorceress. He was in a situation where he could survive if need be, but it was full of uncomfort and constant hunger.

He wanted to wake up and be active, knew he should do something but the overwhelming feeling of lethargy was in command of his whole body. He couldn't sleep very well as a dragon in the dungeon cell, but shifted for a couple hours each day so that he wouldn't die.

He could hear footsteps, then the metal clinking of keys, and the bars moving. Maybe it was a dream; his senses were scrambled—not knowing reality from the dream world.

He saw Alys--she was smiling at him. Alys only smiled like that when she was really, truly happy. Those were the smiles she gave when he released her into a soft surface after taking her through the clouds, or when she stopped worrying about life and relaxed on warm summer's evening. He missed those smiles, because they also made him stop being concerned about life—at least for a while.

"Selendrile?" she said, reaching out to touch him.

He lifted his arm and tried to meet her fingertips. To his surprise, they were real.

"Alys?" he choked out, his voice rusty-sounding from not being used in weeks.

"Yes. I'm here now."

He snapped his eyes open and saw her standing before him. Her hair had grown a little bit longer, and she was not smiling anymore.

He groaned and shut his eyes, hoping he was just imagining her. She shouldn't have been there. Telonge was supposed to take care of her. Why was she there?

"What are you doing here?"

He received a rub-crushing embrace from her and then an unexpected hard slap across his handsome face in reply. Alys grabbed him by his shoulders and forced him to sit up.

"You are possibly the biggest hypocrite I have ever met!" She hissed. He held his cheek in mild shock she actually slapped him. She leaned her face close to his, "'_Revenge is sweetest when it's slow enough that the one doing it can see the results, and the one to whom it's done knows from where it comes' _and yet you fly in here on the first chance you get and look where it gets you!"

He realized she was quoting him, from the first night they met. True, he found revenge was sweetest when done slow, but Selendrile had run out of time to make his own revenge sweet.

Alys pursed her lips and waited for him to say something. She had a fire smoldering in her extraordinary green eyes. He was close to her, his face inches away but she wasn't scared of him anymore. How could she be? He saw it then, the certainty within her that it didn't matter what he was, nor what he had done would ever change the fact she cared deeply for him.

She would hate him for what he had to do to her. He couldn't bring her to the Realm—it would drive her mad just as it did to Sasinna—and Alys didn't deserve such a punishment for caring about him.

He lay back onto the sleeping pad with a true, disheartened sigh. There seemed to be a vise around his heart, tightening at the fact he would have to return to the fey lands and without his human treasure.

"Forgive me, Alys."

Alys's frown vanished at his words, suddenly very concerned. "Why?" He had never said anything like that to her before, and she wished he hadn't because his tone of voice was not hinting to anything pleasant.

"If I do get out of this alive, I must leave…and you cannot follow."

"_WHY?"_ her voice was on the edge of panic, and wavered a little.

He sighed again, understanding no matter what he explained she would try to follow him. Hells, she managed to get herself thrown in the dungeon with him, she would try to follow him to the ends of the earth if she could. He would have to make her not want to follow him.

"I'm done with you."

Alys's breath caught in her throat. All the confidence in her that Selendrile was hers, dissipated.

"…But…"

"There's nothing to explain. You saved me from the iron band, I saved you from the stake, and our debts to each other are satisfied. You are of no use to me anymore."

Selendrile had to concentrate very hard not show any emotion, and keep his face like stone while watching Alys physically crumble at his words. He could only watch as the human girl he was fond of, cried tears caused by him. Maybe now she would leave him, have a normal life, be happy.

Alys searched his face through her tears, looking for any sign that he was lying. She couldn't find a reason for him to be lying about this though. Maybe she had been absolutely wrong about him—the only reason she was allowed to stay with him was because of a debt. There was no trace of remorse in his handsome face.

Her heart sank. She spoke quietly, "I hate you."

He only blinked.

"I HATE YOU!" she screamed, enraged and in sobs. She had told herself not to trust dragons, but yet she betrayed herself and trusted Selendrile completely. This was her punishment.

She sank into the farthest corner of the cell, still crying. She hid her face behind her hands, not even wanting to look at him. He didn't make any move toward her.

'_I wouldn't leave you for the world'_ rang through her head, it was what he said the night at the inn, and it was a horrible lie. Even with her eyes squished close behind her hands she could only picture the look of his purple eyes when he spoke those words to her—with that hint of promise. Her sobs racked her small body. The feeling of betrayal was crushing, and she couldn't help but to wish that if she had known this was how it was to be when she was staked out on that hill, she would have rather just been burned or drowned than to be dragon's bait.

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A/N So good news! I went to Dallas and since I didn't have a computer to update, I drew lots and lots of pictures for you guys! Go here to see all the characters from this story

(so it won't let me post urls)

Go to deviantart and you can search 'Ch4rms' to get to my gallery or you can just search the names of the characters. Sorry about the link problem!

Half of them are colored and half of them are still sketches. Enjoy!


	19. Dragon Watchers

Lianna was too restless to sleep. The echo of Willyr's words and his lips kept her awake. In her restlessness, she decided to go to the Imperial libraries and finally return the book of Dragon Lore. There were city guards in front of the entrance, just in case a thief tried making off with one of the thousands of books. They nodded at her in recognition for she was no stranger to late—or early—visits to the libraries.

Of course the libraries were as silent as death for no soul would be reading at the break of dawn. She knew the exact place the book was taken from and made her way through the high rows of shelves. Once there, she grabbed the big book out of a pack and was ready to slide it back into its place—on the bottom shelf—but she hesitated.

She stared at the leather, black cover, and then opened the book and turned to the illustrations of the magnificent seven. She had seen these creatures in person, and a ghostly sensation ran up her spine. She traced her fingers over the depiction of the ivory dragon.

She shook her head back and forth quickly, at her own silly thoughts about him. Knowing it was all dragon charm that she was subjected to in those moments alone with him. She didn't want to feel anymore, not after her husband was taken from her. The pieces of her heart would never fully mend—or that is what she tried convincing herself as she stared at the drawing. She closed the book abruptly with a release of breath and put it back on the shelf.

She stood and turned abruptly, bumping into someone.

At first she screamed, having not known there was even anyone else in the libraries.

She opened her eyes, and saw it was the queen's advisor. Varisca—the sorceress of ages, or so it was told. Varisca had always had a disdain for Lianna because of their conflicting views of dragons. Lianna thought them fascinating; Varisca thought them vile pests.

Varisca looked just as surprised to see the scholar though. "Lianna?"

"My lady," Lianna quickly curtsied, embarrassed for shouting like a scared child.

Varisca had a well-kept frown on her face, "If you have returned, then where are the Queen's knights?"

"I had to return alone."

"Why?" she arched one of her scornful brows.

It was Lianna's turn to frown. The only way the Count of Wendbury had known she was still alive was because of Varisca. He had told her this himself. "You should ask the Count of Wendbury."

Varisca's other brow rose, and she hid a smirk. "If you had planned on disappearing forever—to start a new life, then you should be so wise and _not_ use the same name."

Lianna clenched her jaw at the advisor's snide advice. Varisca was powerful, and Lianna knew it would be no use to fight her. "What are you even doing here?"

"It's a public library, and I needn't have to explain myself to a scholar. I do ask this however, were there any other findings of dragons at Tierbo?"

Lianna laughed inside her head, she had found many dragons but not in Tierbo. So she had no qualms with coldly replying, "No."

Varisca let out a disappointed sigh and gathered her dark hair to one side of her shoulder. She looked around the room, at all the books and then snapped her gaze back to the scholar. "So he let you go after all that?"

"Who? After what?" Lianna was puzzled, thinking of how Willyr had kept her close the entire journey, but Varisca knew nothing of Willyr.

"The Count. You placed him suspect to murder. I didn't think he'd forgive such a traitorous act."

"He admitted to having my husband _murdered_! My actions were _not_ traitorous in the least. How dare you even say such a thing! Have you no heart? Have you never had a loved one taken?"

Varisca's smirk and frown vanished into an expression Lianna had never seen on the advisor before.

"Yes, and I apologize," she breathed quietly—after a moment of silence—and looked away. Lianna wondered what brought on that bout of honesty? Varisca looked the same, wondering what had possessed her to tell the truth.

There was a sudden commotion at the entrance of the libraries, a steward, and two guards were frantic as they searched the rows. They stopped and breathed in relief when they found Varisca.

"My lady! My lady! A girl has just broken through the guard at the palace. She is screaming to everyone about the _prisoner_. We fear she might be _one_ as well."

_One of what?_ Lianna thought, not making any sense of the steward's babbling.

Varisca's frown had returned, "Take me to her."

Varisca marched away with the guards and steward back to the palace. Lianna was alone once again.

She scanned the rows of books, just seeing if there was anything that piqued her interest. Her mind kept wandering back toward Willyr—and even if she tried shaking that reawakened feeling of desire within her when their lips met—she would always think of other things relating to him. His pearly eyes, their seriousness and sensibility, the sadness, the longing, and his whisper of: "_I'm begging to be._"

In another row nearby, she spotted a book she hadn't seen before. It was high, but the words on the spine glittered at her. She rolled the ladder at the end of the shelf to where she could climb up and retrieve it.

She couldn't make sense of the scribblings on the spine. The title was sewn in a silver thread, and that was why it had caught her eye. Nothing so old she had ever seen so grand in binding and letterform, although it was faded and incomprehensible.

She climbed down to the ground and sat on the floor with the book in her lap. It was a thick book, and when she opened its pages the words were not in her language. In fact, she couldn't tell what language it was in. Where did this book even come from? How old was it?

She carefully turned the pages so as if to catch an illustration of sorts. It took awhile and the _only_ drawing depicted in the entire volume was of a man. She didn't understand the description since it was in another language but her eyes were riveted on the drawing.

He was practically the most beautiful male she had ever seen. He had ebony hair that fell over his shoulders, and the bone structure in his face made him masculine but with that hint of gracefulness she had witnessed in all the dragons' features. She had seen all of the dragons but Moshire in their human shape but had a feeling this was not Moshire. Extraordinarily beautiful, she found herself holding her breath with wonder.

A shadow landed on her back, blocking out the light from the candelabras attached to the wall. She sensed it and tensed wondering what would cause it as she was the only being in the room.

"_Lathandrian_," it was a whisper on her neck, and caused her hairs to rise ever so slightly.

"Are you following me?" She asked, not afraid, but annoyed recognizing the voice to belong to the Dragon of the Glowing Moon.

There was a pause. "Yes."

She rolled her eyes and closed the book, irritated at his snooping.

"Where did you get that book?"

She looked at it, then him, and pointed upward, "The shelf."

He frowned, seeming not to believe her.

"What was that you spoke of?"

His frown was replaced with a nervousness she hadn't seen before—or even thought he was capable of being.

"Lathandrian," he spoke again, and instead of a detailed, or helpful explanation he continued with, "Alys has been captured."

It took a moment for Lianna's head to wrap around that bit of information. Alys was a headstrong, odd sort of girl, and it didn't surprise her one bit that she had gone after Selendrile after Lianna took leave to the libraries that morning. Earlier information clicked into place within her mind though. Alys was the 'girl' that was screaming about the 'prisoner'. She now understood the steward meant that to be the Prince of Dragons. She gasped realizing, Varisca was in possession of him? This could only end horribly for either party. She wondered how Varisca had enough strength to even capture a beast of fey?

"Are you going to get her out?" she snapped to Willyr suddenly.

"If I go in alone, they would surely suspect I'm not human," Willyr scoffed.

"Why?" she asked without taking a moment to think about the unnatural white eyes.

He threw off his hood and frowned—she blushed but was mesmerized by the depth of them. "I see."

Now that she could see where his eyes were looking, she caught him staring at the book in her arm. What was it about that book? Could he understand its language?

She took the back of it in the palm of her hand to steady it, and turned again to the illustration—on the verso was more incomprehensible language. "Can you read this?"

He scanned the page, "Yes."

"What does it say?"

He paused again.

"Nothing for you to know."

She huffed and closed the book, now more curious than ever. She turned on her heel ready to leave him where he stood but he caught her upper harm and held. "Lianna."

She turned back to face him with an annoyed frown.

"Help us."

"I already told you I want no part in this. I've dealt with enough. From what I've experienced the past few weeks, I should be able to write whole volumes. It will cause nothing but pain and heartbreak." She tried sounding confidant but the way his eyes were staring at her, caused a slight waver in her voice. It felt as if though his gaze went straight through her and into her heart. "Why do you need me to?"

"Because of the blessing I gave you."

"Which is what?"

"You can ask any being a question and get a truthful answer."

She was amazed, and stopped trying to tug out of his grasp. Maybe that's why Varisca was honest with her all of a sudden, but no. "That's a lie. I have just asked you some questions and you didn't give the answer."

"I gave _truthful_ answers," he gave her a quick grin. Ah, since it was his blessing, he could know how to twist it to not affect him as much.

"So you want me to ask someone questions?"

"Yes--as to the location of Selendrile. He can't seem to tell us. We contact him and in response we get a garbled, almost intoxicated answer. He must be ill, and we are running out of time."

"Time for what?"

Willyr sighed, as if it was all over her head—and it really was. He spoke cryptically, even when she asked him a question he supposedly had to answer in truth.

"Lathandrian."

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Alys must have fallen asleep where she was huddled, for Selendrile could sense her heart pace slow from what had been angry throbs to normal beating. He opened his eyes and could see her still huddled in the corner with her head resting on her knees, leaning against the cell wall.

But they were not the only two beings in the room, he snapped his gaze to the bars and on the other side was the sorceress. She stood haughtily, smirking at the sight of the dragon-youth and the girl who had been claiming him as her own, as far away from him as possible.

"Let her go, she is of no value to you."

Varisca tilted her head, "Isn't she?"

Selendrile growled outwardly and stood slowly, the muscles in his legs cramped.

"It seems she is worth something to you…" she said, a subtle threat laced within those words. Selendrile swiped his arm out and caught the woman's wrist in a firm grasp and tightened it.

"If you harm her in any way, shape, or form I _will_ destroy you."

She took note of the seriousness in his voice, and the smoldering of his eyes directed at her. She gave a nod, knowing she could have the girl followed if she freed her. It was all but obvious the girl would be valuable. Selendrile let her wrist go, and stepped back to his sleeping place. Varisca left them alone again, but a promise left in her smirk that she was to return soon.

Selendrile watched Alys for what seemed hours, she had hidden her face in her hands, probably not wanting him to see her so vulnerable. She was a human, and by nature humans were by far the most vulnerable creatures. He watched her until his own eyes felt heavy—another wave of sleep was coming upon him—but he fought it so he could continue watching his human treasure while they were both still there. It was of no use. His eyelids dropped and covered his world in dark.

Awhile later, Alys awoke. She was cramped. Her memory returning of what had happened, she sadly realized it wasn't all a nightmare but reality, and dared peek over at the Prince of Dragons. He was collapsed onto the sleeping pad in a deep slumber. She wanted to punch him, but knew that would only wake him up, fail at causing an ounce of physical pain, _and_ he would be angry—but not as angry as she was with him.

"I hate him," she said out loud, just to convince herself of the truth. Yet, she had the urge to trace her fingertips across his jaw, up the bridge of his nose and over his brow to his eyelids while he slept.

_No. You hate him. He used you—_she turned her back on him, even if he wasn't conscious.

The woman, the one who was obviously the one that had captured him, appeared once more in front of the bars. She looked to the sleeping dragon-youth, and then to the girl. The girl was huddled as far as possible away from the dragon. Varisca smiled knowingly.

"Dragons cause nothing but heartbreak."

Alys jerked her head up and scowled, even though it was true.

"I sense he is not all yours as you have claimed."

Alys jumped up and stared at the woman with an angry glare, "You don't know what you talk about. Let me go. I will be of no trouble any longer."

Varisca gave the girl a suspicious once-over and said, "Very well. You are free."

She instructed the guard to hand her the cell key and she opened the cell gate. She knew Selendrile wouldn't attack her, after all—he was asleep. Even when he was awake she could sense he wanted to, but they both knew she had the upper hand in power with him being sleepy and weaker than usual.

Alys was thankful she didn't have to be near _him_ anymore—his mere presence taunting, a reminder of his betrayal.

She refused to take one last look at the beautiful fey that had bewitched her heart and soul.

To her abject horror, Varisca brushed past her and kicked Selendrile in the side, "Wake up! Say goodbye." He groaned but his eyes darted open at her latter words and stared at Alys's back.

"Alys…" his voice was soft, apologetic. Alys heard this but didn't care, he had hurt her beyond any other betrayal she had experienced. She would daresay it hurt worse than to be accused of witchcraft by the people she had lived with all her life.

She followed Varisca, not turning back to say 'goodbye' nor acknowledge this was the last time she would ever see him again. She breathed deeply and continued forward. The most difficult part was that she couldn't see the look in his eyes as she left. _He feels nothing for you and you would have sacrificed the world for him._ With that, she was grabbed by two guards, and escorted out of the dungeons, and out of Selendrile's life.

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A/N: As always, thanks for reading :D


	20. The End is the Beginning

_Dragon Rescue Part I_

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It was snowing again. Alys had a hard lump in her throat as the guards shoved her away from the entrance of the palace, warning her never to come near again. She sighed, releasing her shaky breath as a white wisp on the crisp air. Snowflakes gathered on her shoulders and she looked up at the darkening sky. Had she been in the dungeon that long? Was it even the same day? She felt hollowed out, and she was taking calculated steps that felt like they were the walk of a doll.

She followed her feet, not really knowing where she was headed now that she was free.

_Is 'free' the right term? Am I free now that I no longer am able to follow him? Or am I cursed to be alone forever?_ She thought. She dusted off the pile of snowflakes on her shoulders. She had arrived in the temple district, for there was a giant cathedral in the middle of the way. The crucifix was daunting. After all that she had witnessed and experienced the past year, she realized her faith had been shaken as well.

If God was all knowing and all loving then why did bad things happen to good people? She wasn't thinking of herself, of course. She didn't deserve forgiveness for gallivanting across the country with a dragon—she didn't know if she could even forgive herself for trusting him.

She was thinking of Lianna, and how her husband was murdered. Lianna was a very kind and intelligent young woman, and Alys did think of her as an older sister.

Lianna!

Lianna was probably worried about Alys. She would return to her rooms and find Alys missing. Alys didn't know how to get to the University from the temple district, but now with a definite purpose of finding Lianna, her feet were finding a direction. She didn't dare ask a posted guardsman how to get there, for she figured word had spread that she was the 'dragon girl' that broke into the court.

It was even darker in the parts of the city that had little or no torches on the outside walls of the buildings. She thought she heard something behind her as she was walking. Not footsteps, but rustling sounds.

She heard a faint '_meow_' next to her and looked down to see a kitty. It was too dark to notice the color or pattern, but she could make out the shape of it.

She bent over and petted it, feeling the need to have honest contact with another creature. The kitty must have been cold, for after a few scratches on its head, it leaped right into her lap.

"Are you a lonely kitty?" she asked it, not expecting it to understand.

'_Meow'_

It had looked up at her and in that instance, the faint torchlight nearby caught in its sparkling orange—no _opal__—_eyes.

Alys growled and pushed Telonge off her, having had enough to do with dragons.

She turned her back on him and began walking away with vigor.

"What are you tangled up about sweetcake?" She heard his voice inquire from behind her—he must have transformed—he must have been naked.

"I don't want anything to do with him anymore. He is nothing but a liar, a horrible, vile _liar_!" She screamed into the dark, unclasping her cloak and throwing it back to Telonge so he could be decent. She wanted to be angry, and let her anger loose on someone. Telonge would be the unlucky victim.

Telonge raised his brows at her outburst, and lowered them, seeming to know it was Selendrile who she spoke of.

He had barely gotten her cloak over his body when she whipped around with a glower, "How can your kind be so despicable? You make false promises, you trick humans over and over, and the only reason they fall for it over and over is because you use a sort of…of…_charm_ that calms them into trusting you. No wonder you were hated so. I can see why they took to slaying you to near extinction." She spoke with a hiss of contempt.

Telonge looked her over, and for once a smile was not near his lips, nor a hint of a smile. He was holding his breath, and she could see him release it slowly, "What did he say to you?"

"The _truth._"

Telonge shook his golden curls back and forth, "That doesn't seem like him."

"To tell the truth?"

Now a hint of smile was present in his features, "Of course. Selendrile is always hiding something. He's careful of what he says and only says it after deciding it is safe to say and when it will have his desired outcome."

"_He wants me to hate him_?!" She cried furiously.

"If that was what the outcome of his words caused, then yes."

Alys collapsed to the snowy ground, her mind in chaos. Tens of thousands of questions appeared and before one could make it past her lips, another would replace it.

"You have seen him then. You should take us to him so we can retrieve him."

Alys wanted to refuse—but now that Telonge had arrived and ruined her absolute loathing of the prince of Dragons—only to replace it with irritable curiosity, she could only shrug a shoulder in acquiescence. Wondering if that she did lay eyes upon him again, could she get a truthful answer for once, or would he always be lying? _Why even give him another chance_? The sensible part of her was nagging her other half—the nonsensical part, _because if I don't, I will still be alone._

"So where are the others?"

"Around."

She shook her head at his ability to be so uninformative.

They continued walking. She wore a furrowed brow the whole time as she looked at the ground, trying not to let Telonge's good disposition charm her into anything she didn't want to do. She didn't want to rescue Selendrile that night. She wanted to find Lianna.

They had been walking awhile, and it only became colder. She assumed he knew where he was going but then she remembered she had followed him through the great forest and he didn't know the way then either.

"Stop," she commanded and he did, but turned to face her.

She was suddenly grabbed with a rough force. A bulky arm nearly choked her, and a sharp point pierced her side.

"Give me your valuables."

"I have none!" She choked in a panic.

With the utmost silence, Telonge quickly grabbed the man's head and snapped his neck. The body fell and a clatter of a small dagger skittered across the cobblestone. The bandit must have never seen Telonge since he blended in so well with the shadows in her cloak. The stars weren't out either, so he wasn't illuminated like the first night she saw him. She held her throat and stared at the lump by her feet.

"You killed him," she said softly, reminded of the night Selendrile killed Atherton. The man was quite large compared to Telonge but she had to remind herself dragons—even in human form—had the upper hand in strength.

There was a cold look in Telonge's eyes, "He would have just moved on to the next victim if he had lived."

Telonge hauled the body up over his shoulder and deposited it deep within a city alley behind a pile of crates. Alys's side hurt, she reached down to feel the sharp pain and something sticky.

"Telonge?"

"What?"

"I think he stabbed me! I'm bleeding!"

She held out her hand, since it was too dark to see anything. Telonge gently took her wrist and brought it up so her fingertips were in front of his face. He inhaled, and then said, "He did. That's your blood."

"Take me to Lianna, I'm sure she can wrap wounds."

He nodded and to her surprise scooped her up into his arms and started to walk off with her.

"You don't have to carry me! I'm not a damsel in distress!" She objected.

"Yes but you walk slow, and this is faster."

She grumbled and accepted that he would carry her to the University. Hopefully no one would notice he was naked under her cloak. She was less chilled now that they were closer together but the snowflakes landed on them, melted, and left a cold dampness on their clothes and skin.

They did make it to the University, and by that time Alys's side didn't hurt anymore. Telonge set her down in front of Lianna's door, and Alys pounded hard on it with her fist balled.

Lianna cracked the door open so only her eye could scan the visitors. She sucked in a sharp breath when she saw it was Alys. The door opened fully and Lianna embraced her.

"I was told you had been captured!"

Alys didn't explain anything, but said, "I've been stabbed by a street bandit, are you able to wrap the wound?"

Her blue eyes grew even rounder and she ushered Alys through the door not minding the fact Telonge was naked underneath Alys's cloak.

Alys stopped as she entered the main room for all the other dragons…well all except the elusive Moshire, were sitting about the room.

She didn't have time to glare at them or ask why they were all gathered about because Lianna grabbed her arm and continued taking her up the stairs.

"How did this happen?" Lianna asked after instructing Alys to change out of her gown with the blood staining the bodice.

"I was just walking back here with Telonge when a bandit grabbed me and demanded my valuables."

"Such as it is during night in the Imperial City," Lianna shook her head.

"Telonge broke his neck and hid his body in an alleyway," Alys added.

Lianna seemed a little shocked, but remembered he was a _dragon_, and therefore would have no qualms with ending life.

She examined Alys below the hip where the bloodstain had indicated the entry wound, but Alys's flesh was untouched.

She looked down at herself and gaped, "I swore it was there! I felt the pain and the blood! We saw the dagger!"

"It must have healed then…"

"So fast? Without a scar?" Alys was dumbfounded. How was it possible?

Lianna didn't give an explanation, but smiled and asked Alys if she would like something warm to drink. Alys did, and thanked her. She re-dressed and walked back down the stairs where the dragon-youths were.

Willyr was missing.

"Where's Willyr?"

"With Lianna," Aerend smirked.

"Why ever so? She's just making hot tea."

"He's taken with her,' Callath shared Aerend's grin.

"Dragon's can…"

"Of course they can!" Thalen frowned at Alys's astonished face, he crossed his arms and slouched back on the seat where he was sitting, "It just depends if it returned."

"And with you, it never is!" Aerend laughed and pointed at Thalen.

"Humans are worthless lovers," Thalen grumbled in response and shot a venomous glare at the Dragon of the Blowing Winds.

Alys felt a little bit numb at this newfound news. It didn't make sense to her. Dragons could love humans? Hadn't Selendrile even, if ever, felt a hint of fondness for Alys? She felt as though he should have with all the time they had shared in each other's company, but if had been he wouldn't have told her off so coldly in the dungeon. His amethyst eyes were as cold and unforgiving as the winter weather when he spoke his words to her.

"So where is Selendrile being held?"

Varlor had broken Alys out of her melancholy thoughts, and she nodded. "He is in the lower dungeons of the Imperial Palace. His cell is large and he is chained to the wall."

"Was he in iron?" Telonge asked, alarmed. He was still wearing only her cloak.

"I don't think he was, for he was alive. I know he isn't able to shape shift and stay alive in iron." She frowned, trying to remember. But then she thought of something else more imposing.

"There is a woman! She is responsible for capturing Selendrile, I am sure. She looks normal but you can see by the way she carries herself she is powerful, not to be trifled with. I would be wary of her."

The looks on all their faces matched—it was doubt—that a human woman be so _powerful_ to capture one of them. Perhaps this woman was overly clever but never one actually wielding _power_.

Alys was about to protest their doubt but Willyr and Lianna returned to the main room.

Aerend and Callath at once grinned at the sight of them.

"Here you are," Lianna handed a mug of hot tea to Alys. She sipped it, and it burned her tongue.

"So how did you escape the dungeons, Alys?" Willyr wondered.

"They let me go," she replied.

Willyr looked to Telonge, puzzled.

"Why did they let you go?" Lianna asked.

Alys shrugged, "They just did."

"Odd. That is very odd."

"Well once she saw how I _loathed_ him, she thought I would no longer be trouble."

"Since when did you start _loathing_ Selendrile?" Lianna was even more puzzled.

Alys shook her head; her voice was caught in her throat. She didn't want to even say his name anymore as it reminded her of the lies he told.

_"I wouldn't leave you for the world,"_ his voice played in her head and that was what hurt her.

"Lianna knows the way around the palace, we could use her as a cover to get to him." Willyr turned to Telonge who seemed the leader all of a sudden.

Telonge thought about it and then looked at Lianna with a sly smirk, "I thought you said you wanted no part of this?"

A slight blush reached her cheeks and she looked to Willyr for explanation.

"She's changed her mind," was his reply.

That was good enough for Telonge. "Great, so when shall we rescue our Prince?"

"Tomorrow," Alys said decidedly. She was going to get answers from him. She couldn't discern any truth in his words—It was all a blur of doubt. Did he truly not want her around? _Could_ he feel fondness for her? Was he lying when he spoke to her so convincingly that night at the inn while he looked her in the eyes and _promised_ he wouldn't leave her, even for the world?

The others were speaking at each other, but Alys blocked them out and settled herself in the corner with her beverage. She was still slightly cold since the small fire in the room didn't reach to her. She laid her head on her knees and closed her eyes.

_He will never be for me, _she thought. She could picture him in front of her. He was an exceptional imitation of a human male—tall, lean, strong, and well spoken with hair of gold. He seemed to look innocent but she knew a world of death and trickery was shadowed behind his considering expression. The way his purple eyes searched over her, it was always with consideration. If she hadn't known what he really was, she might have dreamed to marry a man that looked so well. His smile was the honey to the flies though. It had always been rare to see him smile but when he did, it was dazzling. She remembered how he did smile back during the summer. She hardly saw him—because he was always disappearing—but when he returned it was always a joy for her.

_Stupid dragons._ She frowned and opened her eyes to see the others. They were gone, all except Lianna. Alys lifted her head up and looked around, just in case the dragon-youths weren't in her initial line of sight.

"They've gone away for the night. Come, come and sleep," Lianna held out her hand for Alys to take.

"Thank you."

It was late. Alys was tired, even if she had already slept—and most uncomfortably—in the dungeon. She gave a tremendous yawn and saw Lianna was staring at her curiously.

"What?"

"What did he do?"

"Who?" Alys asked, even though she felt ready to burst at the seams to tell her. Lianna knew this too.

"You know what I'm talking about. You're obviously upset about something that happened while you saw Selendrile. What happened?"  
Alys looked away and started dressing into her nightgown, she really didn't want to relive the events that occurred in the belly of the palace. Instead she sighed—how typical.

"What is it like, to have a dragon be fond of you?"

Lianna's eyes widened ever so slightly, "What?"

"They told me he was taken with you. I was just wondering how it felt." Alys folded her dress and set it on top of Lianna's bureau. "Does he look upon you with affection instead of consideration? Do you feel not as alone?"

Lianna realized she was speaking of Willyr. She sat on the edge of her bed, "It is strange. I couldn't tell he was if had been." Then she thought about the night before, "He did offer me a dragon blessing though, I think that could be a sign he is taken with me. I don't know, Alys—they are _fey_."

"Selendrile never offered me a blessing," Alys sniffed and buried her face in her hands, with a sinking feeling.

"That's because you already have his blessings," Lianna breathed, after fighting in her mind whether or not to tell Alys. The others had mentioned it the day Alys started off on her own. The stab wound was proof of it. Alys uncovered her face and raised a doubtful brow, "What?"

"You already have Selendrile's blessing, you can't be hurt and that is why your wound healed so fast. Did he not tell you when he gave it to you?"

Alys was even more annoyed at this new bit of information. She stood up and stomped around the room in irritated confusion, "NO! He never tells me anything! Are you saying he had bestowed a magical charm on me and didn't even ask me permission! The _nerve_ of him!"

"What did he say to you, to make you so angry!?" Lianna still wasn't clear about what had happened between the strong-willed girl and the Prince of Dragons.

Alys whipped around—and Lianna could see fresh tears in Alys's eyes, "I risked _everything_ for him. He allowed me to be near him, and to trust him for months, I daresay even begin to love him…and…and…"

Lianna caught Alys as she crumpled up in sobs. She held Alys in her lap and stroked her hair to calm her as an older sister would. It was a few moments later when tears stopped dripping off Alys nose and onto Lianna's skirt that she continued, "and…after all that I've been through with him, after he _promised_ he wouldn't leave me—he told me he no longer has any use for me, I am not to follow him furthermore. I must be a miserable burden and he must be a selfish liar."

Lianna did not know what to say to comfort the girl. She found it hard to believe a dragon would bestow such a powerful blessing upon her if he didn't care for her, or even burn down a village for her.

"I want to hate and forget about him, Lianna." Alys said, meaning it. "I just can't tell if it's the truth—_truly_ the truth. I don't know anything about him anymore."

"Maybe you should ask him," Lianna frowned.

Alys pushed away, shaking with laughter. It was a few giggles at first but became full on guffaws. Lianna could see she was laughing and crying at the same time. Her eyes were closed and tears streamed down her cheeks.

She sucked in a breath, "_ASK_ Selendrile? He doesn't give answers, I might as well try to get answers from God!"

Lianna shrugged, she didn't have any better advice.

Alys wiped her face and crawled into the bed and snuggled under the quilts.

"Either way, I don't even know if I want to speak with him again." She whispered.

Lianna blew out the remaining candle and wondered briefly, if Alys meant Selendrile or God.

She had meant both.

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_It was a beautiful morning and she felt shifting next to her on the bed._

"_Where are you going?" she sleepily asked and turned over._

_She felt his tender kiss on her forehead, "I told you—I must travel to Alvale for the merchant's trade fair. I will miss you every hour of every day that I'm gone."_

_She squinted her eyes open to see him smiling sadly. She knew he meant his words. "Why go then?"_

"_Someone's got to keep the place financially afloat. Don't let the Count bother you too much whilst I'm gone, love."_

_He kissed her mouth this time and she held his cheeks close to her face, a silent plea that he stay. But they both knew he must go. He dressed and sat on the edge of the bed while he buckled his riding boots. Then he waved at her through the doorway of their bedroom and that was the last time she saw him._

_Six months and fifteen hours later she stood by the creek that ran near their manor. She was disheveled and her eyes were red. It felt like a hole had been ripped through her insides. She stared at the moonlight in the creek's reflection whilst she bit her thumb to keep from screaming. Gone. All gone. Love, life, happiness, trust—vanished with his absence. Permanent absence. She twisted her wedding ring off her finger and took a good look at it. It was made of all those things._

_She couldn't stand seeing it any longer. With a loud and long scream, she hurled it into the dark creek and knew she had to get far away._

Lianna sat up with a start, she was perspiring although the fire had died out and there was a bitter coldness in the room. Alys was sound asleep next to her, as far cuddled into the quilts as possible. She was having nightmares of memories again. Was this a sign that it was too soon to feel for someone?

She shook her head at her ridiculousness; she wasn't _feeling_ for anyone—especially not a _dragon_. Dawn was near, for she could make out the dull light of morning though the window. She sighed, and knew it would be too soon before she would have to locate the Prince of dragons. She was worried about Varisca, for nothing easily slipped the advisor's notice.

"Give me my cloak back," Alys mumbled in her sleep, a deep frown set in her face.

Lianna lay back down and closed her eyes, hoping her memories would no longer plague her.

An hour later, Alys was shaken awake by a strong hand.

"Wakey, wakey," Telonge sang.

"Give me my cloak back!" Alys shouted as she threw weak punches at him, half asleep and at hearing his voice.

"I did. It's lying on the table downstairs. I even washed it."

She gave him a doubtful glare in response.

"How did you even get in?"

"Lianna let us in. Are you ready to go?"

"I'm still in my nightdress!"

Telonge smirked so huge his dimples showed, "That didn't stop you the other day."

"Get out!"

He nodded and bowed, turned and left.

Alys grabbed a nicer dress that Selendrile had swiped for her not long after he had asked her to come with him.

_HE asked ME to come with him!_

Alys shouted in her mind. If he had claimed they were only traveling together because of a debt then _why, Why, WHY _did he suggest she come along with him? By that time the debts of which he spoke of were finished and there would be no need to drag her along with him. She grumbled and dressed, figuring she would shout these thoughts at that hypocritical, arrogant beast whenever they met next. She swallowed, _which will be very soon._

She left her hair down, as it was growing back—now reaching her shoulders. All of the dragon-youths from the previous night were waiting for her. She huffed past Telonge when she reached the main room and snatched her cloak back. It really was cleaner. It smelled better at least. She stared at him and he just winked.

"So Moshire is not willing to help?" Lianna crossed her arms, was closest to the door and ready to go. She wore a bag over a fashionable blue dress and Willyr's white cloak; he was wearing a normal, brownish-colored one.

Thalen shook his head, "We don't know where he is or what he is doing."

"Which is very odd," Callath added.

Lianna shook her head and pulled open the door, the dragon-youths filed out before her and she left after them. Alys was still in the room and sighed, figuring she should follow as well but she heard Lianna scream from outside. Alys dove beneath the window and set her back against the wall, inching slowly higher so she could see a glimpse of what had happened.

Sir Fayden and about two-dozen knights were standing outside, their crossbows pointed at Lianna and the five fey. They weren't moving a muscle and Alys didn't know why they didn't transform to fly away or fight. Her heart started pounding faster as she recalled Selendrile state '_The only thing concerning about Queen's knights is that they have crossbows and there are many of them_' in Tierbo.

Lianna was more than startled to see the knights she had been traveling with at her doorstep. "Sir Fayden what is the meaning of this?"

"Don't move! We know what they are. We have orders to bring you to the imperial palace at once."

"That is ridic…" Lianna tried to bluff and took a step toward them.

"Stop. We have iron tipped arrows. Now you will come with us if you want it to go easy. If not, we will test our arrows into your _friends_.

Willyr grabbed Lianna's hand and pulled her back from the knights. Lianna huffed, annoyed and her breath caught the cold air. She closed her eyes with a frown, only for a moment, then opened them and nodded.

How could they _know? _She began to follow Sir Fayden as the knights gathered around them, always keeping watch. She turned back to see where Alys had gone, but saw a flash of brown hair at the window and realized. _They followed her_.

_Dragon Rescue Part II_

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Alys waited until they were gone. This couldn't be happening! How did they even know? Two knights were posted nearby, probably to keep a lookout for any other fey or perhaps even Alys herself. She sighed, possibly the biggest sigh of her life. She had to help them, but how? Maybe she didn't owe Selendrile a thing, but the other fey didn't deserve to be prisoners as well, all to end up butchered for their magical parts. What about Lianna? Lianna was the closest thing to a sister Alys had ever known so she just _had_ to find a way to get them out.

She made her way to another window, one near the kitchen that faced the wilderness of the island. There was a steep downward hillside that led to a small dirt path that traveled along the shore of the enormous lake. She scrambled to lift it open and then climbed out of Lianna's home. She stood on her tiptoes with her back against the housing structure in order not to lose her balance and fall down the tall hill. She would hate to get scraped up in the dead shrubs that dotted the land below her.

_But I can't get hurt, if Selendrile's blessing holds_ she thought quickly and then jumped off into air, taking many tumbles onto rocks and small bare bushes as she fell down the hill. It was painful, she felt snaps in her ankle and elbow, and it was not pleasant at all. Her world was spinning even as she rolled to the foot of the steepness. She gingerly opened her eyes and stared up at the length she had fallen.

It took a few minutes for the horrible pains to stop. She lay there with her eyes closed and the snow melting into her dress. She sighed and sat up. There was no more pain, which felt so odd because there should have been. She smiled, feeling powerful all of a sudden. Maybe she could march in there and save them all. After all, she couldn't be hurt! They could fill her with arrows and brawl with her but she could keep on going.

She started following the dirt path, glancing up at the Imperial City's walls, which seemed to tell her she was forbidden to enter. The tall white tower in the middle of the city was visible as well. The morning sun glinted off the side of it, casting a white reflection on the land surrounding her.

There was no one on the path but her. She found odd because hundreds of people lived _in_ the Imperial city but none were around on the outside? She knew why once she turned the corner.

A gigantic dragon was feasting upon a broken carcass of cow. Like the white tower, the sun sparkled across the brass-colored scales giving the beast an image of grandeur. The cow's blood stained its talons dull though as it bit furiously at the meat inside.

Alys's gut turned at the sight. She never watched Selendrile or any of the other actually _feed_ before. Should she approach it? Who was it? Then it clicked, _Moshire._

She knew it wasn't wise to approach one while it was hungry, in case it found her to be appetizing enough for a second helping, but time was of the essence.

"DRAGON, COME HERE!"

Its head jerked up in a swift motion and instead of considering her like Selendrile had done when they first met; it just as swiftly flew to her with an angry growl. It opened its mouth right above her—she could even see the grisly parts of cow organs and muscle between its teeth. She didn't flinch. She had been around enough dragons to know she carried some special but untraceable proof she was of no harm to fey.

All at once the Dragon's shape shrunk into a human male.

"Moshire," she tilted her head—sure it was he—but kept her eyes on his face. He was indeed as handsome as the others, but the oldest by looks. He was topaz-eyed and blonde. He looked his early twenties, and had facial hair.

"Ah, so you are Selendrile's human," he said, it was a statement. His voice was deep in tone and spoken in a charming purr. Although his lips were covered in red, the blood. He wiped it off using some of the water from the lakeshore.

"Alys," she said with a frown.

He turned away from her heading toward a rock where there was a pile of clothes. He started to dress. So he had clothes? She did wonder what he was up to.

"What are you doing all the way out here? Shouldn't you be trying to save him?"

So he had known? He had known Selendrile was captured and he was just sitting there, eating breakfast? Honestly, he seemed kind of a worthless part of the magnificent seven. Heat rose to her face and she clenched her fists, "No. I'm trying to save the others."

His brows rose suddenly, "When did that happen?"

"Maybe an hour ago?"

He started up and grabbed her hand and pulled her along with him hurriedly. She took note he was wearing fine clothing, something nobles wore.

"What's wrong?"

"They have run out of time!"

"Time for what!?"

"Lathandrian!"

Alys had no clue to what he was speaking of, she tried to keep up with his amazing speed. He was a much faster human than a real one. They made their way to the stone bridge that led to the entrance of the Imperial City. He pulled her cloak down over her face and handed her a long stick that had washed up on shore. "Pretend your blind. I've heard they've been looking for you."

Alys smacked the end of the stick on the ground, but he grabbed her wrist and showed her a more believable way of tapping the stick. They re-entered the city when she did it right and the guards didn't seem too suspicious.

When they were out of sight he pulled her into a tavern and they sat down at a table. A bar wench strolled by and tried getting flirty but he demanded a pint of ale to get rid of her.

"Ale this early? You must be mad!" she proclaimed, sauntering off to fill his order. They both knew he wouldn't touch it.

"So all of them are now prisoners of the Queen's advisor? How did she find out?"

"I don't know! She's magical after all. She's been holding Selendrile for weeks now…"

"I know."

"Why aren't you doing anything about it!? You are a useless drag…" Alys found herself shouting and waving her stick at him but he leaned across the table and slapped her. It stung but only for a moment.

"Do shut up. Unless you want us _all _to be prisoners." He frowned and she held her cheek with a glare. "I have my own ways of getting information around here, and that's why I never told the others. I didn't try to find the Prince because I have been trying to find the _problem_."

"We know what the problem is!" Alys hissed.

"Yes, but I've known the problem for awhile and let me tell you, if you thought marching in there and taking Selendrile back was how it was going to be solved then you are gravely mistaken." He looked down at his newly arrived pint of ale that he had no intention of drinking. "We must go to them now, or else all will be lost."

"If they can't solve the problem, then what makes you think _you_ can?"

He smiled and it was dazzling, "Because I _know _the solution."

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Selendrile knew his time was almost up as the scents of his council filled the dungeons. They had been taken, just like him. Although he could not sense Alys anywhere, which made him relieved but disheartened at the same time. She would not try to even rescue him this time, but it was good she was far away and safe.

Lianna thrashed about her jail cell, infuriated. They had not even met with Varisca or the Queen, just ushered into cells where the knights guarded them with their crossbows. She ended up with Willyr as a cellmate.

"Calm yourself," he spoke, unmoving from across the way.

"If they know what you are, then what's keeping you from transforming and ripping this place apart?" she leaned over and whispered in a hiss. She was infuriated, puzzled, and scared out of her mind. What were they going to do to them?

"Because, they might have doubt. They haven't seen us transform, they might be bluffing to try and find the truth to who is fey and who is not."

She slowly took a seat next to him.

"Won't you perish if you are unable to transform?"

He turned his head slightly, but all she could see was the bridge of his nose, his cheeks, his jaw, and his lips—for the hood of his cloak was pulled over half of his face.

"Yes."

Lianna huffed. That wasn't a pleasant thought. She hadn't seen a hint of Varisca since they were led to the dungeons, but _knew_ she was behind their capture. Selendrile was somewhere within the walls too, and was dragon's bait to lure the others. Varisca was probably waiting until they were weaker and then confront them, demolish them.

Lianna beat her fist on the wooden seat they shared and held back tears. It wasn't fair! Why did she have a vendetta against dragons? Why couldn't she just let them go to their home and be gone?

To her surprise, Willyr embraced her.

"I don't want you to die," Lianna said as she felt a stray tear drip off the tip of her nose.

"Why?"

Willyr was genuinely curious as he took her chin and wiped away the wetness underneath her eyes with his thumbs.

She stared at his half-shrouded face and then reluctantly and slowly turned down the hood to see all of it. Gooseflesh ran up her arms because the pearls of his eyes were so vacantly white, she wondered if he was ever able to show true emotion. She sighed, thinking of all the reasons she wanted him alive.

But there was one reason above all else, and she had finally admitted it to herself, "Because I am fond of you." She said it slowly, and sadly. She thought of her first great loss, which had been her husband, and now she would lose the Dragon of the Glowing Moon. In fact, maybe even all of them—with her knowing of what Varisca was capable of. She just wondered what was taking her so long to attack.

Willyr's mouth tilted upwards at the corners, into a pleased smile. She traced the path along his bottom lip and he ran his fingers along the side her face to her chin. His eyes were haunting but she saw the hint of smile in them, for they crinkled at the corners.

The bars of the cell were swung open suddenly and Willyr was called to leave at crossbow point.

"No!" she shouted as he stood—her hand grabbed a hold of his and lingered.

He was told to move faster, and he was forced to let her hand go. He took a last look at her and then pulled his hood back over his head.

She was left alone. Even the knights had all left to deal with the fey prisoners. Why did everything always get taken from her? She sat on the wooden bench, wondering what would happen. Where was Alys? Alys wasn't captured like the rest of them, but then again Alys was reluctant to save Selendrile.

It came as an absolute shock when, not even a half hours time later, Alys was at the cell gate with a handsome man in tow. The man opened the lock of the cell with a key.

"How did you get that?"

"Moshire hit a guard so hard he crashed into a wall, and then we took it."

"Moshire?" Lianna asked alarmed and looked at the charming new dragon. _Thee Moshire?_ Well of course it was, there were no others. He seemed familiar somehow. She wondered how and where Alys had found him, but there was no time for introductions or small talk. They had to get to the others before Varisca destroyed them.

Willyr and his brethren were all lead outside to a courtyard behind the palace. They were all feeling the overwhelming need to transform but with so many _iron_-tipped arrows, ready to shoot the first dragon on sight—they resisted and therefore were becoming weaker.

"Where's Selendrile?" Telonge wondered aloud, looking around but Selendrile was not there.

The row of knights parted and from them stepped the dangerous beauty that Alys had spoke of. They could sense her power from where they stood, and they could sense something else…something shocking. That was when they _knew_ they could do nothing to save themselves.

"Bring out the other one as well," she snapped at a group of knights and they left the courtyard.

The woman walked among the dragon-youths and studied each one. Taking note of their fabulous faceted irises, and their unearthly human beauty.

They heard a moan and turned to see Selendrile being half-walked, half-dragged to where they stood. The knights let him drop and kicked him down near the others' feet. He was unshackled but only a shadow of grace and power of what he once was. He wanted to change right then and tear the vile sorceress to shreds but he had seen the iron-tipped arrows and knew better.

Telonge and Aerend helped Selendrile stand while the sorceress considered them.

"Which one of you is _Moshire_?"

They looked at each other, puzzled.

"Is it you?" she turned on Telonge, for his opal eyes looked the closest to topaz.

"No."

She lifted a finger and a wave of shock slammed his body, he shouted in pain but held his stance. "NO! Lady, I am _not_ Moshire!"

"Then which one of you is he?"

Selendrile started laughing huskily. "He isn't here. Count again, _vile whore_, I am Prince and there are only six others. You failed to capture him."

She screamed outraged, an untamable wildness burning in her eyes as she lifted her finger and delivered shock through Selendrile this time.

"Why do you want _him_?" Thalen grumbled.

"He is the reason you are all here. He is the cause of your demise!" she whirled around.

They seemed even more puzzled at her mad-talk.

"Did you not like the blessing he gave you?" Aerend asked, incredulously.

Varisca whirled around with wide eyes, "What?"

Selendrile was laughing again, even as his body was being ripped through with pain. He laughed because she had no idea she even had it. "The only reason you are able to harm us is because we _cannot_ _harm_ you. You have Moshire's grand blessing of fey protection. "

Varisca couldn't fathom what he was saying. When did _that _happen? _How?_

"Nothing of fey is able to harm you except the fey that the blessing originated from. So be glad Moshire isn't here or else he would surely rip you apart. _Wench_." Selendrile spoke with amused hatred.

She gritted her teeth together and concentrated all of her disappointment and hatred for dragons on him. She held out her hand so her palm was facing at Selendrile. He stopped laughing and his amethyst eyes widened in surprise as they all heard, "Selendrile!"

Alys was sprinting towards him; not even paying attention to the deathly power that was about to be unleashed upon him.

Varisca shot the stream of destruction through her palm and outward. Selendrile could only watch in horror as Alys reached to him with a concerned face that was soon replaced with a haunting depiction of pain and loss. The light illuminated Alys's eyes until they were a bright green but it grew in intensity and became blindingly bright. All the while, Alys was taking the blow, shielding him from Varisca's deathly rage.

It stopped when a giant brass dragon swiped its tail of spikes into the rows of knights. They were all knocked back and hard. They fled as Moshire growled and shook the earth beneath them. Varisca halted her power aimed at Selendrile and quickly turned to see the dragon that had haunted her nightmares for eons. His brilliant topaz eyes blazed as his talon came down on her, knocking her to the ground. She tried sending any harmful thing she could think of at him but he shrugged it off.

She _did_ have his blessing then. If she had wanted to destroy him for so long, then how was it possible she had obtained it? The dragon considered her for a moment. For the first time since the night her family died, she showed real fear.

Moshire flicked the thumb of his talon and it ripped Varisca's dress at the neckline, revealing her collarbone. She screamed and held her arms to her face, expecting to be swallowed whole, and not in a painless way either.

The dragon was staring intently at something. She peeked out from her arms and tried to decipher what. Her scar—the wound he had accidentally left so long ago. It was scarred into his symbol, just like Luthor had explained. Suddenly, Moshire's form was shrinking, and shrinking until he was just a human pinning her to the ground. From what had been the body of the creature she had loathed, reshaped into the man she had loved.

"Soleric!?"

His long blonde hair was loose and his hard stare bore into her. It was he, and she felt her heart dive. She turned her head away from him—her mind in oblivion, numbed. He had gotten close to her, so she would never suspect. He had used his dragon-charm on her and she was a fool to have fallen for it. All those sweet nights, where they embraced and shared long kisses were a farce. She felt hopeless and powerless now.

Lianna had witnessed everything from the sidelines with horror. Now the advisor was pinned and _not_ being destroyed by the dragon Moshire. They were just staring at each other in some unnamable expression.

"Lianna," she heard her name in the dead silence.

She turned to see Willyr and embraced him. The other dragons—except Selendrile had gathered around Moshire and Varisca. They wondered why he wasn't finishing her off. She was obviously the cause of all the hassle and pain they had to endure so why not end it?

She looked to Willyr for an explanation, but gasped. His face was fading, like he was made of fog.

They were all fading.

"Too late, we were too late," Willyr whispered with real fear.

Moshire held Varisca firmly to the ground as he began to fade.

"You are fading," she gathered enough voice to say, figuring she could be free and write all of this off as a bad dream.

"And you will fade with me," Moshire wore a cold frown.

"Hold me, and don't let go," Willyr said to Lianna. She complied, afraid of what was going to happen after they all faded. Would it be into nothing? What had they run out of time for? Oh yes, '_Lathandrian' _was what he had mentioned but Lianna had no idea what that meant.

In the human world, they seemed to fade into nothing. Selendrile sat on the ground, cradling Alys's limp form close to him. He gazed upon her and for once it wasn't with consideration.

"Forgive me, Alys." He whispered softly into her ear as they both faded away.

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A/N : Yep. That's the end! Well for this part anyway, there's a whole other story of where they go and what happens and that will start being posted very soon. So keep a lookout for it. I know you guys will want answers after this story's cliffhanger. Thanks for reading!

Update: The sequel is titled 'Realm' and can be found in the same category.


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